SuperBee owner tells how her innovative and colourful wraps are good both for her customers and the planet.
Plastic waste has become a major problem in countries across the globe, exasperated by the fact that plastic can take up to 1,000 years to decompose in landfills. Meanwhile, a report by the World Economic Forum states that worldwide plastic use has risen 20-fold in the past 50 years. By 2050, people will use three times as much plastic as we did in 2014.
To help tackle this problem, many businesses have come up with an alternative product for plastic items. Among them is SuperBee, a manufacturer of re-usable wax wraps.
“I decided to make beeswax wraps, as a plastic alternative for food storage because I love nature but hate plastic and want to reduce single-use plastics,” Australian Antoinette Jackson, the founder of BeeConscious that manufactures SuperBee explains what inspired her to start a business in Chiang Mai, Thailand. “Adopting the idea from my grandmother, who used beeswax to wrap food, I started making the wraps for my own use before setting up a company to produce and distribute beeswax wraps, and launched an online shop in July 2016.”
The beeswax wraps are handmade from high quality, locally sourced materials – 100% cotton fabric, pure OTOP-certified beeswax, organic coconut oil and tree resin. Beeswax is a natural antifungal and antibacterial. The wraps can be reused for up to two years when proper care is taken to clean them by hand with water and chemical-free detergent.
“By using these wax wraps, consumers can keep their food fresh longer and safe, as well as reducing food and plastic waste,” Jackson says, adding that the company has FCM, FDA, BPA Free, GMP and Food Safe certifications, so consumers can be assured about its quality.
Although there are many other wax wrap producers in the market, Jackson believes that few, if any, offer products as high quality as hers or can match her ethical business model.
“Our key customers are people or shop owners who want to reduce plastic waste. They love our products because we provide more colourful designs in many sizes,” Jackson says. “The quality of our products stands out from our competitors, according to feedback from our customers.”
Currently, SuperBee wraps are available at the brand’s online shop and retail outlets in Chiang Mai and Bangkok, as well as through distributors in many countries including Australia, Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland.
SuperBee has displayed and distributed its products at DITP’s trade fairs, STYLE Bangkok April 2019 and THAIFEX-World of Food Asia 2019.
As for the future, Jackson would like to see her business grow and provide more people a fair and happy workplace after she has created employment in rural areas in Chiang Mai for several years.
“From the company’s profits, I would like to spread the knowledge of producing eco-friendly products, as well as setting up a way to help Thai entrepreneurs succeed in business. My dream is to build a co-creative space where business and local creativity meets,” she says.
For more information, visit www.superbee.me
Words by Somhatai Mosika
