After listening to feedback from its global customer base, Northumberland-based Polar Krush has developed a unique spoon straw made from paper to replace the hundreds of millions of traditional polypropylene straws distributed each year by the food, drinks and leisure industries as a whole.
Although the polypropylene straws are fully recyclable, the forward-thinking company was keen to develop a greener, more user-friendly solution to safeguard the environment for future generations.
Polar Krush’s new ‘paper spoon straw’ is patent-pending; long lasting and 100% biodegradable! The striped straw took 18-months to develop from concept to production and features a spoon-like scoop at one end.Its design is a world-first, using three layers of paper bonded together for superior strength and durability.
The spoon enables customers to scoop and eat their iced drinks with ease; meanwhile the wide diameter of the straw makes the ice crystals even easier to enjoy. After rigorous testing in frozen drinks the straw stays rigid for up to an hour in duration.
Michael Reid, Sales Director of Polar Krush (pictured), said: “You only have to switch on the television or open a newspaper to read about the concerning situation the planet finds itself in due to the high level of plastics clogging up our waterways and finding their way to landfill.At Polar Krush, our customers are predominantly families with children and as a company we care about protecting the world they are inheriting.
“We have already introduced initiatives to remove single use plastics from our brand. We have changed our packaging and in addition to all our cups being recyclable and containing recyclable material, we also provide reusable and vegetable-based alternatives.”
In 2019, Polar Krush’s 21st year, the core characteristics at the heart of everything the company delivers are “natural”, “healthy” and “responsible”.Two years ago, Polar Krush introduced the world’s first sugar free iced drink made using Stevia leaf to act as a natural sweetener, as a direct response to the rising obesity crisis.The iced drinks business is continuing to put its customers first with the increased environmental initiatives.
The paper spoon straw is a symbol of Polar Krush’s commitment to be an exemplar of sustainability, it is the latest part of a transformational four-year, multi-million pound investment programme in the Polar Krush brand, which includes investing in solar panelling at its UK factory, using eco-friendly collapsible packaging and investing in a fleet of electric powered vehicles.
Michael, added: “At Polar Krush we have listened to our customers, who include theme parks, zoos, holiday parks, wildfowl and water parks, all of which have a vested interest in protecting the environment and reducing the impact of plastic waste on our oceans and wildlife.
“We are proud to have the most healthy and natural iced drink on the market and now we aim to have one of the most environmentally friendly, as well.The health of our customers and the planet we share is very important to us.Our young consumers are extremely environmentally conscious, which is reflected in the strong message that our groundbreaking paper spoon straw sends. Through this innovation, we can avoid millions of pieces of single use plastic being released into the environment over the coming years.”
Polar Krush is a family-owned business, which employs 50 people and is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year.The company’s 11 flavours of delicious iced drinks are served in holiday parks, leisure centres, soft play and trampoline parks, bars and restaurants around the globe.
