Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe Join Consortium Founded by Carbios and L’Oréal to Support the World’s First Enzymatic Technology for the Recycling of Plastics

CLERMONT-FERRAND, France, May 2, 2019  /3BL Media/-- On behalf of the Consortium, Carbios, (Euronext Growth Paris: ALCRB), a company pioneering new, bio-industrial solutions to reinvent the lifecycle of plastic and textile polymers,and L’Oréal, worldwide beauty leader, are pleased to announce a major partnership with Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe.

Carbios has developed a unique and sustainable technology using highly specific enzymes that can recycle much broader PET plastics and polyester fibers feedstock than other recycling technologies. This innovative process creates recycled PET, equivalent to virgin PET, that can be used for applications like bottles and other forms of packaging.

Carbios and L’Oréal previously founded the Consortium to bring enhanced recycling technology designed and developed by CARBIOS to market on an industrial scale. Committed to supporting sustainable development with innovative solutions, Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe are joining the Consortium to help support the circular plastics economy using Carbios’ breakthrough enzyme-based enhanced recycling technology.

Under the terms of the four-year agreement, the Consortium partners’ ambition is to bring Carbios’ PET-enhanced recycling technology to the market and increase the availability of high-quality recycled plastics to fulfill their sustainability commitments. The collaboration includes technical milestones and support for the efficient supply of consumer-grade, 100% recycled PET plastics for global markets.

Carbios has developed an innovative process that breaks down PET plastic waste into its original building blocks, which can be used to produce high-quality PET plastic. This patented technology offers the potential to recycle PET plastics repeatedly and pave the way for 100% recycled PET content in new products. In fact, Carbios recently achieved a world first using its enzymatic technology to create PET bottles from 100% recycled plastics. This biological approach can handle all forms of PET plastics (clear, colored, opaque and multilayer) and polyester fibers. The process requires limited heat and no pressure or solvents, which improves its environmental impact, and also provides a competitive solution to increase global plastic recycling rates. By creating a circular economy from used plastics and fibers, Carbios’ enhanced recycling technology brings forward a sustainable and responsible solution.

Jean-Claude Lumaret, CEO of Carbios, explains, “We are thrilled to welcome Nestlé Waters, PepsiCo and Suntory Beverage & Food Europe into the Consortium we have created with L’Oréal. Their contribution will accelerate our common ambition and help to industrialize our recycling technology, which brings a breakthrough solution in the treatment of plastic waste.” 

Philippe Thuvien, Packaging & Development Vice-President at L’Oréal, noted, “We are convinced that Carbios’ technology is a new step forward, in addition to the mechanical and chemical recycling that contribute to reaching our 2025 goals: 50% of our products’ plastic components is recycled or bio-sourced. We know that by working together with our partners, we will succeed in creating a more sustainable world based on circular economy principles.” 

Massimo Casella, Head of R&D Nestlé Waters, adds, “We are pleased to be joining the Consortium in supporting the development of this new technology.  It can help us to achieve Nestlé’s goal of increasing the amount of recycled PET content in our bottles without compromising on quality and contribute to creating an environmentally sustainable world for the next generation.”   

Simon Lowden, President of Global Foods at PepsiCo adds, “PepsiCo is striving for a world where plastics need never become waste. Achieving that requires collaborative efforts to drive transformative change across the packaging lifecycle. The Consortium offers us the opportunity to accelerate the development of this promising enzymatic recycling technology which, alongside mechanical and chemical recycling, can move us closer to a circular economy for plastics.” 

Roberto Vanin, Chief R&D Officer Suntory Beverage & Food Europe, concludes, “Addressing the global issue of plastic waste requires large scale collaboration, innovative thinking and investment in new and ground-breaking technologies.  We are delighted to partner with Carbios to drive real action to tackle plastic waste.  Their innovative approach to enzymatic recycling reflects our desire at Suntory Beverage and Food Europe to actively seek out forward-thinking solutions to solve the challenges of today and ensure a sustainable future.”

About Carbios:

Carbios is a green chemistry company whose innovations provide solutions to the environmental and sustainable development issues manufacturers currently face. Since its founding in 2011, the company has developed two industrial-scale biological processes for the biological breakdown and recycling of polymers. These unique innovations help optimise the performance and life cycle of plastics and textiles by capitalizing on the properties of specially selected enzymes. Carbios’ economic growth model is based on the industrial roll-out and sale of its products, enzymes, technologies and biological processes through direct licence agreements or joint ventures, to major players in the fields to whom they would most benefit. To that end, Carbios founded the joint venture Carbiolice in 2016, in partnership with Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients and the SPI fund, run by Bpifrance. This company, in which Carbios holds a controlling share, will market the first technology licensed by Carbios by producing enzyme pellets used in the production of biodegradable and bio-sourced plastics. Since its founding, Carbios has been backed by Truffle Capital, a European investment capital player. Carbios qualifies as an “Innovative Company” according to Bpifrance, which makes the company’s shares eligible for inclusion in innovation-focused mutual funds (FCPIs).  For more information, please visit: www.carbios.fr

Carbios is also eligible for inclusion in SME share savings accounts (PEA-PMEs

Carbios
Benjamin Audebert
Investor Relations
contact@carbios.fr
+33 (0)4 73 86 51 76

Media Relations (Europe)
Alize RP
Caroline Carmagnol
carbios@alizerp.com
+33 (0)1 44 54 36 66

Media Relations (U.S.)
Rooney Partners
Kate L. Barrette
kbarrette@rooneyco.com
+1 212 223 0561

About L’Oréal:

L’Oréal has devoted itself to beauty for over 100 years. With its unique international portfolio of 36 diverse and complementary brands, the Group generated sales amounting to 26.9 billion euros in 2018 and employs 86,000 people worldwide. As the world’s leading beauty company, L’Oréal is present across all distribution networks: mass market, department stores, pharmacies and drugstores, hair salons, travel retail, branded retail and
e-commerce. Research and innovation, and a dedicated research team of 3,993 people, are at the core of L’Oréal’s strategy, working to meet beauty aspirations all over the world.

For more information: http://mediaroom.loreal.com/en/

To find out more on L’Oréal actions on sustainable packaging: https://sharingbeautywithall.loreal.com/innovating/optimising-packaging

Media Contact L’Oréal
Stéphanie Carson-Parker, Journalist
stephanie.carsonparker@loreal.com
+33 (0)1 47 56 76 71

About Nestlé Waters:

Since 1992, Nestlé Waters has been providing healthy hydration in its purest form to consumers around the world. It is the world’s largest bottled water company and aims to inspire people to change their hydration habits and choose water. That is why Nestlé Waters’ strategy focuses on inspiring families to enjoy more water and natural-based drinks, working with local communities to protect shared water resources, and developing innovative plastics solutions to help reduce environmental impact. As an integral part of the Nestlé Group, Nestlé Waters operates in a responsible manner in order to create sustainable, shared value for both the company and the communities where we are located. With operations in more than 30 countries worldwide, Nestlé Waters employs more than 30,000 people. A unique portfolio of more than 50 international and local brands including NESTLE PURE LIFE, PERRIER, S. PELLEGRINO, POLAND SPRING, VITTEL, BUXTONand ERIKLI generated sales of almost CHF 8 billion (7.9bn) in 2018.

Media Contact Nestlé Waters
Katie Dahlstrom, Director of External Communications
katie.dahlstrom@waters.nestle.com
+33 (0)1 41 23 45 00

About PepsiCo:

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $64 billion in net revenue in 2018, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose.

“Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business.  For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

Media Contact PepsiCo Inc
Carrie Ratner, VP Communications
carrie.ratner@pepsico.com
+1 914 253 3817

About Suntory Beverage & Food Europe:

Suntory Beverage & Food Europe (SBFE) is one of five regional divisions of the Japan-based Suntory Group, the world’s third largest drinks company. We’re proud to be part of a family-owned business with its inspiring 120-year heritage and we are guided by Shinjiro Torii’s founding spirit.

SBFE is made up of 3,800 passionate people working in business units throughout Europe on hugely iconic brands including Schweppes, Orangina, Lucozade, Ribena, La Casera, Oasis, Pulco, MayTea, TriNa and Sunny D with a commitment to producing great-tasting, healthier drinks.

Everything we do flows from our Mizu To Ikiru promise. We believe in balance. Nature is at the heart of our business, and we’re working every day to ensure that future generations inherit and enjoy a healthy planet.

For more information about our company visit https://www.suntorybeverageandfood-europe.com

Media Contact SBFE
Michelle Norman, Director of External Affairs & Sustainability
michelle.norman@lrsuntory.com
+44 7920 710 796

This press release does not constitute and cannot be regarded as constituting an offer to the public, an offer to sell or a subscription offer or as a solicitation to solicit a buy or sell order in any country. 

Translation for information purposes only. In case of discrepancy between the French and the English version of this press release, the French version shall prevail.