Plant-based straws produced with biopolymer

TOUS les JOURS (TLJ), a French-Asian bakery café chain offering more than 300 different kinds of artisan pastries, gourmet cakes and desserts baked in-store daily, has begun rolling out new sustainable, plant-based plastic straws to store locations across the United States. The straws are made with PHACT™ PHA biopolymer, which is produced by CJ Biomaterials, Inc (CJ BMS), a leading producer of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers. In addition to being made from a safe, biobased material, the new straws are durable, flexible, and won’t become soggy in a beverage.

“Introducing straws made from safe, plant-based materials to our U.S. stores is a meaningful step in sustainability that complements our dedication to incorporating plant-based menu items our guests love,” said Regina Schneider, Chief Marketing Officer, TOUS les JOURS. “As we expand to over 200 TOUS les JOURS locations this year, reducing our environmental footprint is more important than ever to meet our sustainability goals.”

Building on the successful introduction of PHACT™ PHA-based straws at TOUS les JOURS stores across South Korea in 2023, CJ BMS began developing a new biobased PHA compound that could meet certifications for both compostability and marine biodegradability. In 2024, CJ BMS successfully launched PHACT™ CB0400A, a PHA compound made from CJ BMS’ unique grades of amorphous and semi-crystalline PHA biopolymers. These component grades are certified as OK biodegradable MARINE by TÜV Austria, commercially compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute, and biobased by the USDA BioPreferred program.

Using this new PHA solution, CJ BMS partnered with ANU Drinkware, a manufacturer of sustainable straws, to produce the plant-based straws that met the size and performance requirements for straws used in TOUS les JOURS stores.

“The success of PHACT™ PHA straws at TOUS les JOURS reflects the expectations of consumers looking to brands to adopt safe, compostable solutions for food serviceware, such as straws,” said Max Senechal, Chief Commercial Officer of CJ Biomaterials. “This launch also highlights how the collaboration between brands, converters, and biopolymer manufacturers, can accelerate the commercialization of biobased products that are circular, sustainable, and functional.”

Producing PHACT™ PHA begins when plant feedstocks capture and sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide in sugars through the process of photosynthesis. These sugars are then fermented by bacteria to produce PHA biopolymer that has a low carbon footprint in addition to being compostable and biodegradable in marine and soil environments. CJ Biomaterials’ unique PHA technology can produce a broad range of PHA polymers from fully amorphous to semi-crystalline.