How Great Wrap is knocking plastic off the supermarket shelf

Last Updated: Tuesday 5 December

A Tullamarine-based material science company tackling plastic waste is gearing up for a huge 12 month growth curve, following its participation in LaunchVic’s 30X30 Program.

After leaving their former careers in winemaking and architecture behind, husband-wife team Jordy and Julia Kay founded Great Wrap in 2019 to invent the products needed to put an end to plastic waste and revolutionise packaging technology for businesses and people.

Made with food waste and a mix of compostable biopolymers directly from its Melbourne-based factory, Great Wrap manufactures the only Australian-made 100% compostable stretch wrap and the world’s first compostable pallet wrap.

Currently, Great Wrap’s team consists of more than 15 bio-designers, engineers and scientists working from its Melbourne offices, factory and innovation and technology department Great Lab.

The tools to succeed

Co-founders Jordy and Julia said they were excited when LaunchVic reached out to them to take part in the 30X30 Program cohort and jumped at the chance to join the program.

“Both Julia and I have been part of a lot of founder programs. So it was interesting to be involved in a program that was about bringing the team along on the journey as well, not just the founders,” Jordy said.

“Three members of our team went through the 30X30 Program and all came back with valuable skills that have enabled them to work through any company challenges that have come their way.

“This has had a positive and significant impact on Great Wrap, especially as we’ve got some exciting growth happening in the next 12 months. I think it will be the most rapid growth we’ve experienced.

“Great Wrap is also working on some pretty groundbreaking technology that could potentially transform the packaging landscape.”

Jordy said the 30X30 Program would provide future participants with the tools they need to succeed, with plenty of valuable lessons along the way.

“I found it especially useful that the program was not only about how to build a successful company. It also showed an analytical breakdown of why companies have failed in the past and the important lessons to learn,” he said.

Building team capability

Julia added that the 30X30 Program had helped Great Wrap become more structured as a team and as a business now.

“We’ve been through periods of growth previously, not quite on the scale of what we’re about to go through, but the structure wasn’t there before we completed the program,” she said.

“As a result, it feels like our work is more scalable across the team.

“I don’t think that founders should just be the sole keepers of the information that comes from this program, it’s important to keep upskilling team members by letting them participate too.”

Scaling up

With 100,000 tonnes of traditional plastic wrap winding up in Australia’s landfill each year, Great Wrap is looking to combat this number by manufacturing 20,000 tonnes of its compostable wrap by 2025.

In 2022, Great Wrap raised $24 million in order to use its compostable products to completely knock petroleum plastic off the supermarket shelf.

Finance and Operations Manager Lachy Hubbard, who participated in the finance stream, said the program helped Great Wrap provide more structure as a team going forward.

“We had a very far in the future aspiration and lots of day-to-day stuff within the business going on, but we realised during the program that we didn’t have a roadmap or strategy in place to achieve these aspirations and get to that point,” he said.

“The program has helped align the organisation better and it has allowed us to get back onto the road towards achieving our aspirations.

“From a personal sense, I learnt new strategies when it comes to better understanding founders and what their wants and needs are.”

Lachy added that he made great connections with other cohort members and mentors who have provided him with ongoing support, even after the program had finished.

“I think the quality of the mentors and the people facilitating the program were fantastic. It was great to be able to pick the brains of these very accomplished people on quite niche topics,” he said.

Over the next 12 months, Great Wrap now feels even more ready to continue its expansion overseas, particularly in the US and Asia markets, tackling the food service industry, rolling out new products and technology, as well as onboarding more employees and changing up the warehouse.