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A film graduate with vast design experience, Nakul Sharma knew early on his topic for the Masters of Design course Building Research at Anant National University. Researching the unique product innovation of edible cutlery allowed Nakul to understand issues of sustainability in the food services sector.
ANUSandhan contacted Nakul to learn more about the expertise he gained through his research.
Edible Cutlery: Product Design for the Market
By Nakul Sharma
It is cutlery which is edible and is strong enough to hold your food till the very last bite. According to one of the brands – Bakeys -some edible cutlery can last up to 18 months. If you don’t finish eating it by the expiration date, you can simply pour some water on it and compost it. In other words, edible cutlery reduces plastic consumption and even has health benefits to it.
Disposal of plastic cutlery has become hazardous for the environment. Toxins and carcinogens can leach into food through the ecosystem. In addition to this, plastics occupy a lot of space and clog the landfills. Replacing plastic cutlery with edible cutlery can decrease the use of plastic and make the process sustainable.
In addition, if we loot at it from the user’s point of view edible cutlery can be a joyful experience on the table as it also keeps the user excited to taste it after finishing the meal. One can also enjoy the taste of different flavours and It can be nutritious as well. Since we always throw the plastic cutlery after its use, edible cutlery can just dissolve in the soil as it is made of food grains. Every food sector service can use them to make the environment cleaner.
Now, when we talk about the current situation around the globe, it looks like restaurants and food services might go online due to COVID-19. This brings enormous opportunities for edible cutlery in the Indian market, as it can be the best option for home deliveries. This pandemic can also be an eye opener for Indians and make them understand the need to go sustainable and organic. That will also bring more exposure to edible cutlery.
I can highlight a number of reasons. First, when I asked a few people from the food industry, most of them were not aware of edible cutlery. However, they really liked the concept. One has to find the perfect marketing strategy to spread awareness of edible cutlery. There can be various ways for it like placing the product in schools, colleges and companies where large numbers of people can take a look at it. Reaching out to social media influencers, especially the ones associated with cooking and food blogging, could be a game changer.
In selling edible cutlery, one has to clarify the “why” factor for edible cutlery in people’s minds. Everyone is familiar with the disadvantages of plastic cutlery. We just have to find a good way out to make people understand the advantages of edible cutlery. It is important to identify where to start. For example, consumers and communities which value vegetarian and organic food can grasp the benefits quickly.
Nakul Sharma is a Master’s student at Anant National University in Ahmedabad, pursuing integrated product design. His background includes different roles in 3D designing, social media, photography, digital marketing and VFX production coordination. He has been a practitioner in research and design processes at Anant National University. His practice in product design includes designing masks in the COVID-19 pandemic for the new university student welcome kit in the post-lockdown phase. He has designed creatives to spread awareness about the pandemic. He also developed a product design Idea for touch-free hand washing accessories for a hygienic experience. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Reliance Animation Studios with a degree in Animation & Live Action Film Making and Media Communications.
Nakul’s paper can be cited as follows:
Sharma, Nakul, 2020. Edible cutlery in the market. Working Paper, MIPD Programme, Anant National University, Ahmedabad.