A

At the heart of our work is plant-based technology. We take all kinds of roots, tubers, fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based materials and we turn them into value-added ingredients in a broad range of categories: food, beverages, animal nutrition, pharmaceuticals, beauty, and industrial markets. 

Fortunately, we have a global commercial team of experts in papermaking, packaging development, and corrugating, so customers’ feedback and insights are directly built into our innovation development for the industrial market. Our innovation is focused on solving customers’ problems, understanding their key performance parameters and bottlenecks are the first step. Challenges to be solved range from production rates, to environmental impacts, to quality parameters.

Based on market trends and insights, we see a lot of opportunity in the sustainable packaging development space. We are innovating with plant-based technologies that can improve the properties of fiber-based packaging to solve many challenges of both the packaging manufacturers and the downstream users among consumer packaged goods and quick service restaurant brands.

Q

Ingredion has made impressive strides in creating industrial starch applications for sustainable packaging, especially in food service. What’s driving demand in those areas, and how is Ingredion responding?

A

Consumers are looking for more environmentally responsible solutions. They want to reduce their plastic use, and they have concerns about safety. Additionally, we’re seeing a tightening of regulations causing brands to seek alternatives. Those aren’t new trends, but they continue to grow.

We believe that paper-based products can be great solutions for many packaging applications in grocery. We can functionalize paper or make paper more performative by utilizing plant-based technology, to help with the replacement and reduction of plastics, especially single-use plastics. The food service industry as well as other Consumer Packaged Goods companies (CPGs) use single-use plastics, so they are actively seeking innovations like ours.

Q

You mentioned functionalizing paper, are you referring to starch-based coatings as a sustainable option?

A

Starch-based coatings, on the right paper, can provide strength as well as oil and grease resistance, as a cost-effective solution to meet customers’ needs. In many cases, these starch-based coatings are recyclable and biodegradable, so they are a logical fit for sustainably minded companies.

But the solution might also be something inside of the packaging substrate, which we call an additive, or it may be another component of the package itself.

Ultimately, the customer is looking to meet a stringent set of needs, and no one is going to compromise on the performance of the package, so we have to offer a range of choices that run in a variety of existing operations and in different formats—all while being cost effective.

A

We look at our work as a funnel rather than a conveyor belt.

We always have several ideas in the hopper, each going through testing, to find what works best. Input from customers is mission critical. We might form a hypothesis, but soon after, we ask certain customers whether this is the right hypothesis, and – if so – we solicit their feedback throughout product development.

We call these our alpha or lighthouse customers. We bring them in early to make sure we are hitting all the functional, economic, and environmental aspects they require. Then, we will attempt to validate our findings with a broader set of customers, all before scaling and launch. Ideally, we will also go to customers’ production sites and observe their manufacturing and packaging lines to ensure our test products integrate seamlessly.

A

Starch is one of the oldest polymers known to mankind, so there’s a paradox that I find fascinating. We are taking this ancient technology and continuing to improve upon it even today.

We have a team at Ingredion called the Advanced Packaging Materials Group, and their focus is to identify new technologies that will unpack the power of starch. Our goal is to be both bio-based as well as biodegradable, and we call innovations created by this team our “Starch +” technologies, focused on coatings, binders, and adhesives for more sustainable packaging.

In the process of creating each new product at Ingredion, we also need to balance end-of-life considerations. Our final product cannot compromise the end-of-life scenario of the packaging material it is used in, which in many cases calls for recyclability or compostability.

Q

How is starch-based technology in corrugated packaging evolving?

A

Corrugated packaging and cardboard has continued to grow since COVID, and it is the archetype for recycled and sustainable packaging. According to the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) in 2024, approximately 77% of corrugated packaging in North America was recycled, yet we believe there are ways to make it even more circular. 

We’ve launched a new additive, a microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) technology, added into the glue adhesive used in corrugated packaging that marries the medium to the liners. The MFC improves the glue adhesive’s ability to bond, allowing corrugated manufacturers to improve board quality, increase machine speeds, and in many cases reduce adhesive application. Some corrugated packaging manufacturers may also see reduced steam and energy usage in production, contributing to a clear improvement in process circularity.

The CORAGUM® Xcell Bio-Based Adhesive Additives combine the performance advantage of MFC with a variety of traditional corrugating liquid additives; basically a formulated solution that meets the different challenges of customers in corrugated packaging.

This technology is showing value across a variety of corrugated packaging formats, from e-commerce boxes to corrugated food clamshells, to produce packaging with different flute types and board styles.

Q

Ingredion recently announced a $50 million expansion of your facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Why are you investing so heavily into packaging materials?

A

Quite simply, it’s to meet growing customer demand. We are seeing real excitement for these new innovations that we are rolling out and as the demand for higher performing and more sustainable packaging increases, we want to be positioned to help our customers grow.

Q

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds spoke at the groundbreaking of your expanded Cedar Rapids facility. What does it mean to have that level of state support behind this investment?

A

We’ve operated in Cedar Rapids for more than a century, and we continue to innovate with bio-based materials with a lot of our corn feedstock being grown by local Iowa farmers. In fact, Ingredion buys more than $1 billion of US corn annually. The governor’s presence shows that we are an important part of the regional economy, helping drive employment and innovation.

Q

You mentioned local farmers, how do you ensure your sourcing of feedstocks supports rural communities and improved farming practices?

A

We absolutely appreciate that we need to work with the providers of our crops and feedstocks to ensure sustainable practices while moving to reduce carbon emissions.

We have a regenerative agriculture program that partners with growers. It has reached more than 74,000 acres, but we’re not resting on our laurels. We’ve set some lofty goals, including implementing water conservation projects with growers in 100% of extremely high water stressed sourcing geographies by the end of this year. We’re also working to confirm that 100% of our agricultural supply is using safe alternatives to pesticides of concern (as defined by the World Health Organization) by the end of this year.

Q

Are there any specific policy changes or support mechanisms you think would help scale up bio-based innovation in the United States?

A

Policy changes that support bio-based technology, biomanufacturing, and industry growth can be hugely beneficial for our industry, and they can also benefit local economies, local job growth, and consumers. We also support sustainability policies because on the environmental side of the ledger, our plant-based products reduce greenhouse gases and create fewer microplastics.

There’s an opportunity, but also a necessity, to make our own science-based and commercially oriented arguments to both consumers and policymakers about the opportunities in bio-based innovation.

Q

As a member of the Plant Based Products Council (PBPC), what has been most consequential to Ingredion?

A

PBPC is at the center of the ongoing dialogue with policymakers and offers essential education that explains the benefits of plant-based products. We also value being part of the PBPC network as it helps us understand where different companies are headed and creates an exceptionally rich place to collaborate and explore partnerships.