Nigeria - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Suspak Co focuses on developing safe and hygienic packaging for food products that is 100% sustainable. Our proprietary technology upcycles agricultural and textile wastes into paper plates, straws, & other foodservice packaging.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Suspak Co is on a mission to solve this problem, by replacing petroleum-based single-use plastics and tree-made paper packaging with wastes. We repurpose agricultural and textile waste onto novel, eco-friendly packaging that provides viable and earth conscious alternative to conventional paper and cardboard. We stand for the fact that the trees should stay in the forest and not be cut down for single-use papers. We design and produce our products from a combination of fibrous materials, such as fabric offcuts, and natural fibers like sugarcane waste, pineapple peels, cassava peels or wheat husk; and with our chemical-free pulping process, we create high quality compostable food packaging products with little water while eliminating landfill waste and building reputable eco brand value. Serving industries such as food, coffee, tea, and more, we are dedicated to revolutionizing the food packaging industry by offering tailored solutions that meet the packaging needs of our customers

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Every year, approximately 261 billion single-use foodservice items are used in the Nigeria alone. Plastic waste is one of the most significant environmental challenges of our time, and the restaurant industry is a major contributor to this problem. As the food-on-the-go market continues to rise, the industry generates an enormous amount of plastic waste every year, from single-use utensils and containers to straws and packaging. As this industry continues to grow and become eco-conscious, with paper and cardboard packaging gaining attention. Paper and cardboard, while accessible and inexpensive as a packaging material, comes with a hefty environmental price tag. Manufacturing it is thirsty work, devouring vast amounts of water, energy, and chemicals, and leading to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution. To top it off, touted as biodegradable and recyclable, only 54% of discarded paper and cardboard actually ends up becoming paper again.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

By collecting waste and up-valuing them into packaging items, we aim to reduce Plastic production & Pollution, while preventing methane emission from agri-waste and fabric waste that end up in landfills. Our process of making tree-free paper has lesser energy consumption and can reduce up to 780kWh on each ton of paper produced, reducing 520 cubic feet of natural gas and 40% water used in our production, in comparison to tree pulp paper production. Our products are also lightweight, helping to reduce C02 emissions in transportation Our Paper packaging is a versatile material that can be easily molded and shaped to fit various needs; thereby being customized for unique food brands that maintain a commitment to sustainability. Many consumers are increasingly environmentally conscious, and choosing paper packaging can enhance a company’s image by aligning with eco-friendly values. This can positively influence consumer perception and lead to increased customer loyalty.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

This target group has a 65 percent of ownership type as sole proprietorship, employing between 10 to 30 people and According to SMEDANN, age bracket showed between, 24-50-year-old (with an average of 33y.o dominates), hence youth entrepreneurs are dominant. According to Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, The total number of Food service SMBs in Nigeria as at 2013 stood at 16, 236,000 with female entrepreneurs accounting for 43.32% in the ownership structure of micro enterprises as against 22.75% in small and medium enterprises. The average yearly revenue for this customer group is recorded at 25, 000,000 ($16666). The main challenges confronting the operations of these businesses in Nigeria are poor options of sustainable practices, inconsistency in government policies, poor support business development services, and obsolete technology

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-04-10

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

3

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

2

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

With my 12 years expertise in starting and running a business, and a degree in Entrepreneurial Management, I lead the company vision and resources to achieve our goal. My team members; Olayinka Saminu (F) has a background in Material Science and with 2 years of experience in a packaging firm. She will manage the day-to-day operations of our company. With 4 years of sales experience and a degree in Psychology, Keji Olabide(F), our Sales Lead is responsible for facilitating sales and Tobi Makinde(M) is our Cost Controller. He is a certified accountant with 3 years’ experience. His role is to keep the financial record and control us spend to make us profitable. Cumulatively, we have over 21 years of industry experience, and supported by a board of advisors with over 53 years of business expertise ranging from sustainability management to management consulting, we are properly positioned to solve this problem we are all passionate about.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

b) Materials (agriculture, fishing, chemical products, construction materials, containers and packaging, metals and mining, paper and forest products)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

4

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

We are improving the livelihood of smallholder farmers that we buy agricultural waste from, thereby adding to their income and lifting them out of poverty

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

We are a key actor within the food systems and the agricultural value chain. Without packaging, nutritious food will not get to customers when needed

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

5

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

By working with businesses that sell nutritious food and preserving foods in airtight paper pouches, we are preserving the micronutrients in these food, thereby giving health and wellness to the consumers

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

We aim to run training for youths on our technology

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

6

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

We are a women-founded, women led startup, and we maintain a balanced team of male and female; with female constituting about 70% of our management team

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

5

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

With our process conserving and reducing water use by 40%

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

4

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

5

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

With the aim of creating employment for 15 youths in our business, we are promoting sustainable economic growth

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

4

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

4

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

By creating biodegradable packaging alternative, we reduce the amount of packaging waste that will end up in landfill, littering the streets or swimming in our ocean

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

We design and produce our products from a combination of fibrous materials, such as fabric offcuts, and natural fibers like sugarcane waste, pineapple peels, cassava peels or wheat husk, creating a circular economy that ensures nothing goes to waste

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

By collecting waste and up-valuing them into packaging items, we aim to reduce Plastic production & Pollution, while preventing methane emission from agri-waste and fabric waste that end up in landfills.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

6

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

By creating biodegradable packaging alternative, we reduce the amount of packaging waste that will end up in landfill, littering the streets or swimming in our ocean

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

4

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

4

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

5

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

4

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

3

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

Paper and cardboard packaging is gaining attention. Paper and cardboard, while accessible and inexpensive as a packaging material, comes with a hefty environmental price tag. Manufacturing it is thirsty work, devouring vast amounts of water, energy, and chemicals, and leading to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution. To top it off, touted as biodegradable and recyclable, only 54% of discarded paper and cardboard actually ends up becoming paper again. Our option reduces the amount of resources needed and improves upon the existing technology of making paper packaging

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Paper making companies that use tree pulp as raw materials.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes, with my women led startup, we are promoting gender involvement in key decision making and inclusion