EcoTensil is introducing its sturdy paperboard utensils in Europe. The company has added its built-in cutlery to Global-C’s EcoFoodBox, enhancing its functionality for a streamlined plastic-free, compostable, and recyclable meal service solution.

The combination of the two products – the box and the utensils – decreases space usage, labor hours, and manufacturing cost, as managing the hygiene of the two products separately is no longer necessary. The cutlery folds back inside the box, wedged between the top flap and separated from the food and outside environment to maintain cleanliness and hygienic standards.

Its paperboard material is said to have a more pleasant texture than dry wood, which is known to mess up the flavor and enjoyment of food. The aim was to create a “pleasant taste experience as an alternative to the not-so-good tasting wooden utensils,” says EcoTensil.

“No wrap is needed because the utensil stays clean under the flap,” says EcoTensil founder and CEO Peggy Cross. “The moisture-barrier paperboard used for the NeverLeak food box ticks all the same certified sustainability boxes as the EcoTensil products themselves.”

Cross explains that one of the key advantages of this food box is the reduction in materials due to producing the utensil out of the extra material around the die-cut box.

“Since the EcoTensil is made from the same sheet of paperboard as the box, at the same time, there is very little additional material used in the making of the utensil and no additional energy is used in making and shipping.”

“Consumers are increasingly considering the health of the planet, and expect foodservice packaging to be as sustainable as possible (...) The box, utensil and food can all be composted, or with no food, it can all be recycled.”