About NextWave

Packaging that does its job — then returns to the earth.

NextWave is a UK-based eco-packaging company supplying plant-based, compostable and food-safe products to foodservice operators across the country. Built for businesses ready to leave plastic behind — without compromising on quality, performance or price.

50M+

plastic items avoided since launch

2,000+

UK foodservice partners

100%

products certified compostable

0

PFAS or PE coatings, ever

Our story

Built by operators, for operators.

NextWave was founded in 2021 by a small team of foodservice veterans who'd spent twenty years inside cafes, catering kitchens and event operations. We were tired of being told we had to choose between products that worked and products that didn't pollute.

So we started sourcing the alternative ourselves. Bagasse from sugarcane processors. Kraft from FSC-certified mills. PLA from plant-starch bioplastic plants. We tested every product in real kitchens before we put it on the page.

Today we ship to thousands of UK businesses — from independent coffee shops to national catering brands — and the rule we started with hasn't changed: every product has to perform under real conditions, meet UK food-contact standards, and break down cleanly when it's done.

“Sustainable packaging shouldn't be a compromise. It should be a default.”

— NextWave team

What we stand for

Four principles that shape every product we put in our catalogue.

Plant-based, never plastic

Bagasse, kraft, PLA and natural fibre — sourced from renewable plants and agricultural by-products.

Certified compostable

EN 13432 industrially compostable. No PFAS, no PE lining, no microplastic residue.

Lower carbon footprint

Up to 80% less CO₂e than equivalent plastic alternatives across their full lifecycle.

Food-safe by design

All packaging meets UK and EU direct food contact regulations — tested for hot, cold and oily applications.

How we source

From agricultural waste to your counter — in 90 days.

Bagasse is the fibrous residue left after sugarcane stalks are pressed for juice. Historically it was burned as waste, releasing carbon into the atmosphere. We work with manufacturers who turn it into rigid, microwavable, freezer-safe foodware that decomposes in commercial composting facilities in roughly 90 days.

Every supplier we work with is audited for environmental practice, labour standards, and food-contact certification. We don't private-label products we wouldn't use ourselves.

Our team

A small team based in the UK — with a big network behind it.

Our headquarters and warehouse are in the UK, where a tight team handles sourcing, customer service, fulfilment and accounts. Behind us is a network of audited manufacturing partners across Europe and Asia who specialise in compostable foodservice packaging.

That's deliberate: a small core team keeps us responsive and accountable, while specialist manufacturing partners give our customers proven products at scale.