Xampla secures £10.2m to scale plant-protein based packaging
Cambridge materials company Xampla raises £10.2 million to scale plant protein-based alternatives, targeting the replacement of over 10 billion single-use plastic items within five years
Materials innovation company Xampla has secured £10.2 million in funding to scale production of plant-protein packaging alternatives.
Xampla’s Morro materials are entirely made from abundant, regenerative plant proteins including peas, rapeseed and sunflower, developed over 15 years at the University of Cambridge. The materials are fully biodegradable and home compostable, designed to decompose naturally without requiring industrial facilities.
The investment aims to enable Xampla’s goal of replacing over 10 billion units of single-use plastic within five years, specifically targeting the lining in takeaway boxes, coffee cups and sachets. The global plant-based packaging market, valued at £3.8 billion in 2023 is projected to grow at 11.6 per cent annually through 2034.
The funding round was led by sustainability-focused Emerald Technology Ventures, which runs Europe's first specialist venture-backed investment fund targeting the full packaging lifecycle.
BGF, one of the largest growth capital investors in the UK and Ireland, and Munich-based Matterwave Ventures have also been named as investors. This is alongside follow-on investment from existing investors Amadeus Capital Partners and Horizons Ventures.
Xampla is currently partnering with packaging companies including 2M Group, Huhtamaki and Transcend Packaging. Morro materials have replaced plastic coatings on cardboard boxes used for food deliveries for Just Eat and Bunzl Catering Supplies.
Morro coating maintains cardboard’s recyclability without detracting grease, oxygen and moisture barrier properties that protect products. The global barrier coatings market, crucial for food, pharmaceuticals and automotive industries, is projected to be worth over £22 billion by 2032.
"We have proven to investors and to brands that Morro materials are the real deal in making plastic a material of the past," said Alexandra French, Xampla's Chief Executive. "Our ambition now is nothing less than to see our products, bearing their Morro marque, become the world's go-to plastic replacement."
Expansion across multiple applications
Morro films are soluble, and therefore Xampla claims they have the potential to replace PVA films used in dishwasher tablets and laundry pods. Whilst often marketed as biodegradable, research raises concerns about the impact of PVA film casing on aquatic ecosystems.
PVA film's biodegradability is tested in laboratory conditions that have rich microbial environments; however, these ideal conditions do not reflect the reality of conventional wastewater treatment facilities. As a result, research suggests that approximately 75 per cent of undegraded PVA is released into US waterways.
Xampla is collaborating with FMCG and fragrance brands, such as ELEMIS, to substitute harmful plastic microencapsulates, commonly used in beauty products to convey scents and active ingredients, with Morro. The materials are also food-safe and can serve as edible packaging for single-serve products.
Neil Cameron, lead investor at Emerald Technology Ventures, commented: "This technology hits the sweet spot I search for: a big solution to a big problem that can reap big rewards."
Rowan Bird, Investor at BGF, highlighted the technology's industrial readiness: "Its patented, entirely natural and PFAS-free material is drop-in ready for existing manufacturing lines, making it an attractive option for brands looking to adopt more sustainable solutions."
The investment plans to enable Xampla to expand into Asia Pacific markets while growing operations in the UK and Europe. 
