Edible spoons to address plastic problem

INDIA – In 2005, while he was on a field visit to a drought-prone district in Telangana, India, Narayana Peesapaty had to use a cold and hard roti (millet bread) to scoop up curry that he ordered for a late lunch.

While this incident may be a disappointment for many, for Peesapaty it was a eureka moment.

“(I thought that) if a twodimensional spatula can work, then why not a three-dimensional (edible) spoon?” he says.

It was the humble beginning of Bakeys, a company founded by Peesapaty that produces edible cutlery, including spoons, forks and chopsticks.

Over the next years, Peesapaty and his wife, Pragyna Keskar, have worked hard to raise funds to establish the company. By 2016, the couple had enough to establish a factory and mass produce the product.

The edible cutlery are made primarily from grains such as jowar (sorghum), rice and wheat flour. The product, which “tastes like crackers,” come in three flavors: savory, sweet and plain.

In addition to tackling pollution by reducing plastic waste, Peesapaty says their product also provides a cheaper alternative for millions of people.

Since 2016, he says they have already 2.25 million pieces of cutlery.

Their factory currently employs 11 people and produces 10,000 pieces of the product every day.