The Global Sachet Exit Challenge

Pressure-test the proposition: replace the affordability, convenience, hygiene and distribution advantages of single-use sachets without creating billions of unrecyclable, low-value waste items. WEDGE A pre-competitive, UK-anchored global consortium running a five-track sachet replacement portfolio in parallel — refill & micro-retail, waterless personal care, paper-based barrier-coated single-dose, mono-material PE/PP recyclable sachet, and water-soluble/edible dosing — backed by a first head-to-head pilot in one urban region of Indonesia or the Philippines replacing 10 million shampoo sachets. VISION INTERROGATION - Founder thesis: the answer is a portfolio, not one magic material. Advanced recycling (CreaSolv, VersoVita, PureCycle) is a backstop for legacy waste, not the hero. - Non-negotiables: the winning solution must beat the sachet on affordability, convenience, trust, hygiene and scalability — not just recyclability. - Success definition: open specifications + FMCG procurement commitments at scale, not a PR moment. STAKEHOLDER-READY BRIEF - One-page concept brief: 855B sachets/yr → 1.3T by 2027; EMF warning of 20T flexible items into oceans over 15 years; five-track portfolio; UK KTP route. - Long-form narrative: full consortium thesis, four workstreams, Duo Plastics + Royce SMI Hub manufacturing/materials backbone. - Confidential investor / FMCG memo: anchor sponsor ask, pilot economics, IP/open-spec posture. RISK & ASSUMPTION REGISTER - Shampoo sachet ≠ ecommerce mailer: needs surfactant/oil resistance, O2/moisture barrier, seal strength after liquid exposure, humid-climate leak resistance, FFS line compatibility. - Refill economics must beat sachet at the kiosk level, not just at HQ. - Greenwash risk on water-soluble/edible formats — independent wastewater & toxicity proof required. - FMCG procurement pathway must be defined upfront or pilots stall after success. DELIVERABLES - Founder discovery report (complete) - One-page concept brief (complete) - Confidential FMCG/investor memo (complete — investor pitch deck shipped) - Risk and assumption register (complete) OUTCOME The Sachet Exit Challenge is no longer an idea — it is an object the world can react to, with a defensible wedge, a costed pilot, and a UK manufacturing/research spine.

Make the existing weight visible so the next FMCG, materials innovator or research partner arrives to a consortium that already looks inevitable. COMMITMENT AUDIT Convert every conversation, intro and signal into status: interested / committed / contracted. - Manufacturing & prototyping: Duo Plastics (Manchester, ~102 employees) — co-extrusion film, printing, recycled PE pellets, closed-loop recycling, bio-based GreenPE from sugarcane. Positioned as Applied Manufacturing & Flexible Packaging Prototyping Partner. - Research route: Innovate UK KTP (12–36 months, ~£8,500/month, up to 67% grant for SMEs) with University of Manchester / Henry Royce Institute / SMI Hub, with Sheffield Grantham Centre, MMU and CPI/Catapult as supporting options. - Materials innovators long-listed: Xampla (Morro), Aquapak (Hydropol), Notpla (seaweed coatings), SmartSolve, TIPA, Futamura/NatureFlex. - Converter long-list: UFlex, Gualapack, Amcor, Mondi, Huhtamaki, Constantia Flexibles, ProAmpac. - Refill & micro-retail long-list: Siklus Refill (~10% cheaper than packaged in Indonesia), Alner, Koinpack, QYOS, Bopinc, Refillable, mobile-money partners. - FMCG targets: Unilever (1,000+ Indonesia refill stations; Clear mono-material Hanoi trial; CreaSolv), P&G (shampoo bars across H&S, Pantene, Herbal Essences, Aussie; VersoVita/PureCycle), Nestlé, L'Oréal, Colgate, Henkel. - Policy & proof: Ellen MacArthur Foundation, WRAP, CEFLEX, Sustainable Packaging Coalition, waste-picker organisations, LCA specialists, city governments. SHOWCASE ARTEFACTS - Partner-facing showcase site (gated) with five-track portfolio, four workstreams and consortium map. - Credentials deck: founder, Snowball mechanic, UK manufacturing/research spine, pilot scope. - Curated press / quotes file from existing public signals (Unilever Indonesia, P&G bars, Xampla/Aquapak/Notpla coverage). NARRATIVE ANCHORING Position every named partner so they can place themselves inside the story — not bolted on, but originally invited. Manchester framed as the UK-led global manufacturing and materials innovation base. DELIVERABLES - Partner-facing showcase site (gated) - Commitments & credentials deck - Curated coverage & quotes file OUTCOME A consortium that arrives in the room with gravity, not a pitch deck that begs for attention.

Open Snowball's network with precision — bring in the strategic operators, anchor sponsor and capital partners whose names unlock the next ten. TIERED TARGET MAP Tier 1 — Anchor FMCG sponsor (one of Unilever, P&G, Nestlé, L'Oréal, Colgate, Henkel). Thesis: each has live sachet exposure across shampoo/conditioner/body wash/detergent in Indonesia, Philippines, India, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Vietnam, plus pre-existing refill or bar pilots to build on. Tier 2 — KTP lead research partner: University of Manchester / Royce SMI Hub (lead), Sheffield Grantham Centre, MMU, CPI/Catapult as alternates. Tier 3 — Materials innovators with the strongest barrier/recyclability story: Xampla, Aquapak, Notpla, SmartSolve. Tier 4 — Refill/micro-retail operator for the pilot region: Siklus or Alner (Indonesia), Koinpack (Philippines). Tier 5 — Waste-sector & policy validators: EMF, WRAP, CEFLEX, local waste-picker organisations. Tier 6 — Capital: blended finance, plastics-action funds, FMCG sustainability venture arms, DFIs for the pilot region. WARM ORCHESTRATION - NDA, anchor-sponsor term sheet, KTP letter of support and pilot MOU drafted before first call. - Intros sequenced so the second name on the list always lands after the first is committed. - Asks per partner: what they contribute (specs / formats / pilot markets / filling-line constraints / MOQ commitments / pilot funding / LCA / consumer research / procurement pathway for FMCG) and what they receive (open spec, pilot data, co-branded outcomes, first-mover procurement option). ONBOARDING RAILS - Every Baller given a defined seat on a named workstream (Refill & Micro-Retail, Waterless Personal Care, Next-Gen Materials, Collection/Policy/Proof). - Visible position in the public dashboard once Stage 5 is live. - Veto: every name on the list is co-approved by the founder before any approach. DELIVERABLES - Tiered partner target map - NDA + anchor sponsor term sheet + KTP letter of support + pilot MOU pack - Sequenced intro plan OUTCOME The right names in the room — one anchor FMCG, one KTP research lead, two-to-three materials innovators, one refill operator, one policy validator and committed pilot capital — inside the shortest possible window.

The point of mass accumulation: the consortium begins to roll on its own. FMCGs, materials innovators and capital begin to chase the project rather than the other way around. COMPOUNDING SIGNALS — KTP & PROTOTYPES - KTP submitted with University of Manchester / Royce SMI Hub on "Scalable recyclable and/or bio-based flexible sachet films for low-cost personal-care products, replacing unrecyclable multilayer foil/plastic laminates." - WP1 benchmark of the current sachet published openly: layers, barrier, seal strength, puncture, shelf life, cost per thousand, filling-line requirements, failure modes. - WP2 three prototype routes built by Duo with research partner: (a) mono-material PE/PP, (b) bio-based PE, (c) paper/fibre with recyclable or repulpable barrier. - WP3 fill-and-abuse testing against real shampoo and body wash: heat, humidity, compression, drop, shelf life, leakage, odour transfer, print/ink, seal failure. PIPELINE TRIAGE - Inbound interest from secondary FMCGs, converters and NGOs scored within 48 hours against the five-track portfolio. - Founder protected from drift: no new tracks added unless they beat one of the existing five on cost, scalability or end-of-life proof. - Slots reserved only for partners that compound the pilot (e.g. local retailer chains in Jakarta/Manila, waste-picker cooperatives, city governments). CAPITAL READINESS - Pilot budget locked: prototype builds, abuse testing, in-market refill/bar/sachet trials, independent LCA, consumer research, waste audit. - Anchor sponsor MOQ and pilot-funding commitments signed. - Data room: KTP plan, WP1 benchmark, prototype specs, pilot region selection rationale, LCA methodology, governance and IP/open-spec model. DELIVERABLES - Milestone cadence plan (fortnightly external update, monthly investor/FMCG note, quarterly proof points: WP1 → WP2 → WP3) - Inbound triage framework scoring against the five tracks and four workstreams - Investor- and FMCG-ready data room OUTCOME A consortium with its own gravitational pull: secondary FMCGs, converters, refill operators and capital seek the founder rather than the reverse.

Take the Sachet Exit Challenge public — turn the consortium into a movement and unlock blended capital for the head-to-head pilot. PUBLIC NARRATIVE - Headline: 855 billion sachets a year, 1.3 trillion by 2027, 20 trillion flexible items potentially into oceans over 15 years — and a UK-led global consortium with a real plan to replace them. - Story spine: the answer is a portfolio (refill, waterless, paper barrier, mono-material recyclable, soluble dose) — not one magic material — measured head-to-head in one real urban region. - Anti-greenwash posture: independent LCA, wastewater and toxicity proof, open specifications. PUBLIC ASSETS - Public Sachet Exit Challenge site (replaces the gated showcase) with live consortium map, five-track explainer, four workstreams, pilot region rationale, and progress dashboard. - Investor pitch deck (already shipped) re-versioned for public/press. - Founder & partner op-eds in trade press (packaging, FMCG, sustainability) and mainstream outlets in pilot markets. - Short-form video: kiosk refill, shampoo bar, paper sachet, mono-material sachet — side by side. CROWDFUNDING & BLENDED CAPITAL - Public/community crowdfund for the pilot's waste-picker cooperative and consumer research components — visible community ownership of the pilot region's outcome. - Blended capital stack: anchor FMCG pilot funding + Innovate UK KTP grant (up to 67% for SMEs / 50% for large companies) + plastics-action philanthropic capital + DFI co-funding for in-market trial. CAMPAIGN MECHANICS - Open call for additional materials innovators and refill operators to apply into the portfolio against published specs (WP1 benchmark) — widens the funnel without diluting the wedge. - Live counter: shampoo sachets committed to be replaced in the pilot (target: 10 million in one urban region). - Press windows aligned to WP3 abuse-test results and pilot launch. DELIVERABLES - Public Sachet Exit Challenge site - Crowdfund + blended capital stack - PR and content plan with named outlets - Open call for portfolio applicants OUTCOME The consortium is publicly known, fully funded for the first pilot, and pulling new partners through an open call rather than bilateral outreach.

Run the first head-to-head pilot: replace 10 million single-use shampoo sachets in one urban region of Indonesia or the Philippines, testing five replacement routes side by side. PILOT DESIGN - Market: Jakarta-region (Indonesia) or Metro Manila (Philippines), final choice driven by anchor FMCG distribution and refill-operator footprint. - Product: low-cost shampoo (chosen for sachet dominance, surfactant difficulty, humid-climate stress and consumer-research baselines). - Scale: 10 million sachet equivalents replaced across the pilot region. FIVE ROUTES TESTED IN PARALLEL 1. Shop-based refill (Siklus / Alner / Koinpack stations in warungs / sari-sari stores). 2. Mobile refill (door-to-door dispensers). 3. Shampoo bar / sheet (P&G-style format, locally co-formulated where possible). 4. Paper-based single-dose sachet with barrier coating (Xampla / Aquapak / Notpla / SmartSolve route, prototyped via Duo + Royce SMI Hub). 5. Mono-material PE/PP recyclable sachet (Duo prototype, paired with a kiosk collection incentive and a waste-picker cooperative buy-back). INDEPENDENT MEASUREMENT - Cost per wash vs. incumbent sachet - Repeat purchase rate and consumer satisfaction - Retailer/kiosk margin and willingness to restock - Plastic avoided (tonnes and units) - Leakage risk into local waterways - Humid-climate shelf life and abuse-test performance - Manufacturability at scale (FFS line compatibility, throughput, MOQ) - End-of-life proof (collection rate, recyclability, LCA carbon) GOVERNANCE - Independent LCA partner and wastewater/toxicity lab named upfront. - Waste-picker cooperative paid for collection data, not just labour. - City government and local NGO sign-off on consumer research protocols. DELIVERABLES - Live pilot in one urban region with all five routes running concurrently - Public progress dashboard updated weekly - Independent measurement report at month 3, 6 and 12 - WP4 recyclability & LCA output and WP5 manufacturable FMCG pilot pack OUTCOME A real-world, independently measured comparison of the five routes — with clear evidence of which combination beats the sachet on affordability, convenience, hygiene, scalability and end-of-life proof in that market.

Convert the pilot result into open specifications, FMCG procurement commitments at scale, and a repeatable rollout across the highest-sachet-volume markets. OPEN SPECIFICATIONS - Publish the winning route(s) per use-case as open, royalty-free specifications: mono-material PE/PP sachet film spec, paper-barrier sachet spec, bar/sheet format spec, refill kiosk hardware & hygiene spec, mobile-refill dispenser spec, soluble-dose toxicity & wastewater protocol. - Open WP1 benchmark methodology so any FMCG, converter or city can re-run the comparison locally. FMCG PROCUREMENT COMMITMENTS - Anchor sponsor signs a multi-market procurement commitment against the winning specs (volume + categories + timeline). - Tier-2 FMCGs (the other five of Unilever, P&G, Nestlé, L'Oréal, Colgate, Henkel) invited into a pre-competitive procurement pool with shared MOQs. - Converters (Duo, UFlex, Gualapack, Amcor, Mondi, Huhtamaki, Constantia Flexibles, ProAmpac) onboarded to produce against the open specs without IP friction. GEOGRAPHIC ROLLOUT - Replicate the pilot model in the remaining priority markets: Indonesia, Philippines, India, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Vietnam — each with a local refill operator, a local waste-sector partner and a city government counterpart. - Adapt the route mix per market (e.g. refill-dominant where micro-retail is dense; mono-material + collection incentive where flexible-film recycling exists; bars/sheets where logistics suit). POLICY & STANDARDS - Feed open specs and pilot data into EMF, WRAP, CEFLEX, SPC and national EPR schemes. - Support city-level bans / EPR fees on unrecyclable multilayer sachets once a viable alternative is proven locally — never before. PARTNERSHIP STRATEGY ARTEFACTS - Public sachet replacement playbook (per market, per route). - Procurement consortium charter. - Royalty-free spec library. - Annual independent impact report (units replaced, plastic avoided, leakage reduction, refill operator margin, waste-picker income). OUTCOME A pre-competitive global system where any FMCG, converter, city or refill operator can pick up open specs and replicate the winning routes at speed — turning a single 10-million-sachet pilot into a credible path to retiring the single-use sachet category.