Kenyan Startup Turns Banana Waste into Eco-Friendly Packaging
A Kenyan startup is turning discarded banana stems into fibre-based packaging, giving farmers a new source of income while helping businesses reduce their reliance on plastic and wood-based paper products.
Zuripacks Limited uses fibres extracted from banana pseudostems to make products such as shopping bags, food containers and cartons. Banana pseudostems are the thick, stem-like parts of banana plants that are often discarded after farmers harvest the fruit.
According to the company, Africa produces nearly 90 million tonnes of banana crop waste each year. Much of this waste is left to decompose or is burned after harvest. Zuripacks is giving some of this agricultural waste a new purpose by turning it into useful packaging materials.
Banana Waste Creates New Income for Farmers
Zuripacks buys discarded banana pseudostems from farmers, creating an additional source of income from material that previously had little or no commercial value.
The startup has also established a network of decentralised micro-processing units. These facilities extract banana fibres closer to farming communities, helping the company reduce transportation costs and strengthen its local supply chain.
The approach also helps Zuripacks maintain a more reliable supply of raw materials while creating economic opportunities within farming communities.
The company supplies its fibre-based packaging products to small and medium-sized enterprises, retailers, agribusinesses and other commercial customers looking for alternatives to plastic packaging.
Zuripacks Expands Its Circular Economy Business
Zuripacks says it has generated more than US$160,000 in revenue, secured over 300 supply contracts and built partnerships with 1,600 farmers and 10 community organisations across Kenya.
The company has also received recognition for its work, including the Circular Economy Catalyst Award and the 2024 Green Innovator of the Year Award.
Its work has also earned it a place among the Top 10 finalists in the GEC+ Africa Kenya Regional Pitch Competition 2026. The competition is organised by Uzuzi Hub in partnership with GEN Kenya, GEC+ Africa and NCBA.
The startup plans to increase its production capacity, expand its network of farmers and develop more fibre-based packaging products for customers across the East African market.
By turning agricultural waste into commercial products, Zuripacks is combining waste reduction with income generation and sustainable manufacturing. Its model shows how agricultural by-products can become valuable resources while helping businesses find alternatives to traditional packaging material
