Genera raises more than $118 million for bio-based compostable packaging

In Tennessee, Genera announced it has secured more than $118 million in new investment for its first manufacturing facility to produce its Earthable® line of sustainable agricultural fiber products.

Genera will use locally grown grasses and other agricultural crops to make compostable food service packaging products like plates, bowls, and takeout containers at its new manufacturing facility in Vonore, Tennessee. In addition to making products that are a sustainable alternative to plastics and polystyrene (Styrofoam-type products), Genera’s Earthable® fibers are also used to produce a wide array of towel, tissue, cupstock and other paper products. Earthable® will be the largest fully integrated, domestic solution for ag-based fiber and food-grade packaging in the United States, designed to meet the growing, consumer-driven demands for more eco-friendly products in the food and consumer industries.