Walki has invested in the Finnish start-up Dolea. Together the two companies will start the production of recyclable and printable paper straws in Ylöjärvi, Finland and in Garstang in the UK.
Plastic straws are banned or in the process of being phased out in several parts of the world. In the EU and the UK, the Single-use Plastics Directive is already in effect, forcing brand owners to switch to fibre-based alternatives. There have been some quality challenges with the current paper straw alternatives on the market as they tend to get soggy in hot drinks, making them not only unpleasant to use but also dangerous for children.
The Finnish start-up Dolea has innovated a recyclable and durable fibre-based straw that uses 25% less material and stays intact in all sorts of drinks including hot beverages. Dolea has developed a proprietary machine technology for producing the straws in an efficient manner that also enables the manufacturing of printed straws based on end customers’ design.
Walki’s new start-up investment initiative Walki Ventures has invested in Dolea and as a part of the arrangement Dolea’s machines will be relocated to Walk’s plant in Ylöjärvi and new production capacity will be installed in Walki’s Garstang plant in the UK during the autumn 2022. Walki will also sell the straws in the UK under its own brand Walki®Straw.
