Now,edible spoons and forks for dessert

“I started working on edible spoons in 2004. Today,we are looking at potential deals in Mumbai as well as international market,” says Peesapathy whose newly-formed company Environmental Innovations Pvt Ltd in Hyderabad manufactures cutlery at a cost of Rs 40 for 25 pieces. The company’s CEO Ramadevi Raipuri feels their hardwork is paying off though they had to face hardships.

A proof of their rising popularity is a special feature in Discovery channel called Changemakers that showcases Peesapathy’s edible cutlery along with several other eco-friendly innovations from across the world.

According to Peesapathy,the idea struck him while he was flying from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad in 2004,and was given plastic cutlery to eat his snacks. “I’m uncomfortable with plastic for three reasons: it is a petrochemical by-product and has carcinogenic qualities. Secondly,since plastic manufacturing is an unorganised sector with no regulation,the hygiene standard is quite low. Thirdly,reusable plastic often carries mircobia as grease doesn’t leave its surface easily,” he explains. A thought soon became his passion. His Eureika moment came during a journey to Mumbai,when Peesapathy saw someone enjoying a piece of khakra scooped with butter. “I thought we could make spoons along the lines of khakra that can be eaten with the meal,” he says.

Soon,Peesapathy swung into action in his family kitchen. “Every night after my wife cleaned up the kitchen,I’d enter the kitchen and mess it up again,” he laughs. “I tried to make cutlery with wheat flour but learnt that it wasn’t the perfect fibre. Later,I thought of using jowar. When dried it doesn’t soften easily. Besides,jowar is an eco-friendly crop which requires very little water to grow. Today,the crop is vanishing from India’s fields,and being replaced by rice which is deemed as a socially upward crop. I want to open up the market for jowar again,” he explains.

According to Peesapathy,jowar is also a nutritious grain filled with iron,phosphorous,fibres and vitamins. These can increase immunity,reduce stress due to hormonal changes and keep cholesterol and diabetes at check.

Now,Peesapathy and his associate Raipuri believe that with the right kind of investments they could immerse the plastic cutlery market completely. “Jowar as a raw materiel is cheaper than plastic. On the other hand,the processing cost and the weight of jowar spoons are much higher than plastic ones. Right now,our overheads per spoon is as high as Rs 1.60. But,the product is showing great potentials in the domestic and international market. In fact,the organisers of Commonwealth Games 2010 have shown interest in it”,Peesapathy adds.