How Apiwraps is bringing sustainable products to the mainstream with ALDI

If you have kids you’re familiar with the dilemma: How do you keep your food fresh and wrapped, without adding to Australia’s ever-growing single-use plastic waste pile? This was the problem Freyja Tasci set out to solve when she started Australia’s original beeswax wrap company, Apiwraps, ten years ago.

“I’ve always tried to avoid using plastic, and when my kids arrived, I was looking for ways to make my food preparation more efficient,” Freyja says. “Beeswax wraps are amazing – they help preserve food, keeping it fresher for longer, and they can also be used over and over again. It’s an old-fashioned concept, but it really works.”

Fast forward to 2022 and Apiwraps has helped save 9.6million metres of plastic wrap from use and has national distribution networks, with a warehouse and production facility based in Adelaide.

This success has been built on an ongoing partnership with ALDI, which will see Apiwraps featured in the upcoming ‘Back to Work’ promotion in-store this week.

Stretching and scaling

In 2019, Apiwraps was at a low point in its business rollercoaster ride – having stretched budgets to invest in machinery to scale the business, and overly invested in stock. Freyja knew the best way to turn the business around was to bring a large retail partner on board.

“I had a wishlist of outlets where I wanted to place Apiwraps, and every week I was working through it – knocking on doors, reaching out via social media channels, connecting with buyers on LinkedIn,” Freyja explains. “I’d tried with ALDI before and hadn’t made any progress, but in 2019 I spotted a new supplier portal on their website, offering the opportunity to make an application to supply products. I completed the form and then moved on to the next target on my list.”

A few weeks later, Freyja heard back from ALDI saying they were interested in her product and were keen to receive a formal proposal.

“Everything moved really quickly from there and the next thing I knew we had the biggest order we’d ever received to fulfill. It was all of our on-hand product, and then some.

“We’ve been part of ALDI’s Special Buys twice a year since then, and it’s had a huge impact on our business. Not only in boosting our sales, but in getting our products into the hands of mainstream customers who might not be actively looking for beeswax wraps,” says Freyja.

Eco-savvy shoppers

Since starting the business in 2012, Freyja has seen consumer shopping habits change dramatically. Being part of ALDI’s national network means Apiwraps can reach new audiences and meet the needs of shoppers who are more eco-savvy than ever before.

“It’s become so much easier now to find sustainable and affordable alternatives like toothbrushes, razor blades and stainless steel lunch boxes,” says Freyja. “So many sustainable products are being dragged out of the corner of the health food store and given centre stage, as consumers become more eco-conscious and aware of the impact of their buying habits.

“Many people are surprised to hear of how collaborative ALDI has been as a retail partner. They have really high ethical standards, and they love to champion small Aussie businesses, especially in the sustainability space.”

Green challenges

With customers becoming environmentally conscious, there’s more opportunity for eco-friendly businesses to reach new audiences and grow, but Freyja says it’s important to let go of perfection in order to progress.

“Any business owner who is genuinely eco-conscious is having to face the imperfection of what they’re doing from many angles at any given time, but it’s important to accept you can only do your best, and then adapt as you go.”

“In the early days I really struggled to source sustainable packaging in Australia in the quantities I needed and at the right price point. I ended up working with a company in Thailand that made recycled mulberry paper which was completely compostable.

“In researching products and packaging I realised a lot of eco options were ‘greenwashed’ – they were made from GMO crops and causing water contamination. We’ve now scaled enough that we can achieve what we’d always hoped for – a completely circular system of 100 per cent post consumer recycled paper packaging – made in Australia – that can then be recycled again.”

Aiming high

Apiwraps has a big goal – to have a presence in every Australian kitchen.

“Beeswax wraps mean healthier homes – where people can keep their food fresh, eat well and minimise waste. We’re hearing from customers every day about how Apiwraps has helped preserve their food – from avocado halves that were wrapped and forgotten, but perfect for eating a week later, to three-week-old celery that looks as fresh as the day it was brought home.

“Cling-film wraps are a cringe-worthy relic from the 20th century that we’ll all be happy to say goodbye to. Sustainable beeswax wraps are a win for our customers’ wallets, but also for the planet’s health. A single Apiwrap can replace 250 unnecessary sandwich lunch bags in a single year. We can make a big impact, and ALDI is helping us get there. It’s such an exciting time,” says Freyja.

Find out more at www.apiwraps.com.au

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