Nestlé Lanka partners Chakra Suthra’s ‘Trash2Cash’ initiative

Accelerates its journey towards tackling plastic pollution and creating a circular economy

Marking Global Recycling Day, Nestlé Lanka announced its collaboration with Chakra Suthra – a start-up focused on innovating solutions towards a zero-waste future. Accordingly, the ‘Good food, Good life’ company’s signature brand Nestlé Milo will be the exclusive category partner for aseptic beverage cartons for Chakra Suthra’s smart recycling bin ‘Trash2Cash’, which allows consumers to dispose their plastic waste in exchange for credit. The aseptic beverage cartons thus collected will be recycled to produce stationery at the local recycler EcoMaximus.

Officially launched beginning of this year following the successful completion of its pilot project, these smart machines are currently available at 10 outlets of a reputed supermarket chain, at Union Place, Darley Road, Duplication Road, Thalahena, Thalawathugoda 2, Maharagama, Kohuwala 2, Raththanapitiya, K Zone Mall in Moratuwa and Gorakana. Sharing his thoughts on this collaboration, Chief Executive Officer of Chakra Suthra, Dr. Himesh Fernando said “Trash2Cash was originally designed as an innovative collection platform for plastic bottles. However, when Nestlé Lanka came along looking for a similar solution for cartons we were thrilled. After a few months of collaborative fine-tuning, here we are today with the first ever incentivized carton collection platform in Sri Lanka. It is an honour to work with forward thinking corporates such as Nestlé Lanka and we hope this collaboration would encourage others to join us as well.”

With its steadfast commitment towards tackling plastic pollution, Nestlé Lanka pioneered the switch to paper straws for Ready-To-Drink products in the local industry, starting with Nestlé Milo, making the entire pack recyclable. Complementing this green initiative, Nestlé Lanka embarked on a series of projects in its effort of creating a circular economy for aseptic beverage cartons in Sri Lanka, whilst also driving a behavioural change among its consumers.

As such, the company helped set up the first facility for recycling aseptic beverage cartons in Sri Lanka together with processing and packaging solutions company Tetra Pak and continuously work with government and private entities to help strengthen the collection and recycling infrastructure in the country. This trial project with Chakra Suthra is a significant milestone in the company’s journey towards creating a circular economy, as it allows consumers to drop off their used Nestlé Milo Ready-To-Drink packs and other aseptic beverage cartons at the respective collection points, which will then be sent to EcoMaximus to give a second life through the production of stationery items.

“It gives us immense pleasure to collaborate with a like-minded entity such as Chakra Suthra, in our efforts of tackling plastic pollution in Sri Lanka. Our work towards creating a circular economy for aseptic beverage cartons in Sri Lanka saw a ripple effect with the launch of paper straws for our much-loved Nestlé Milo Ready-To-Drink packs in 2021, and I am proud of the journey we have come thus far, together with our collection and recycling partners. Our vision is to help create waste-free future and ensuring none of our packaging ends up in landfills or the oceans. We are accelerating our efforts towards this end and are fully committed to making a significant difference in this regard. We will continue to work together for good, towards a cleaner and greener Sri Lanka!” said Mr. Ruwan Welikala, Director – Dairy, Nestlé Lanka.

Driven by its purpose of ‘unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come’, Nestlé has nourished generations of Sri Lankan families with high quality food and beverages from early childhood to old age. Having started its operations in Sri Lanka in 1906, today, Nestlé has become an integral part of Sri Lankan lives and contributes to the livelihoods of more than 24,000 Sri Lankan dairy and coconut farmers and out growers and provides direct employment to over 800. The company manufactures over 90% of its products sold in Sri Lanka locally at their state-of-the-art factory in Kurunegala, employing strict safety and quality controls. Being one of the most loved brands of the company, Nestlé Milo is enriched with vitamins and is made from the goodness of milk, malt extract and the finest cocoa beans, and is pioneering green initiatives towards a creating a circular economy for aseptic beverage cartons.

From left to right: Mr. Sasanka Jayadasa, Head of Procurement, Nestlé Lanka; Mr. Kanchana Fernando, Head of Demand & Supply Planning and Logistics, Nestlé Lanka; Mr. Thusitha Ranasinghe, Founder, EcoMaximus; Mr. Shannon Fernando, Business Development Manager, Sri Lanka, Tetra Pak, South Asia Market; Mr. Ruwan Welikala, Director – Dairy, Nestlé Lanka; Dr. Himesh Fernando, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Chakra Suthra; Mr. Jagath Wedage, Director – Sales, Nestlé Lanka; Mrs. Radhini de Costa, Assistant Director – Communications, Nestlé Lanka; Mr. Darshana Gunasekara, Head of Finance, Chakra Suthra; Mr. Sasanka Bandara, Head of Digital, Chakra Suthra.

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