US$15 Million to scale Vivomer globally – the material developed by Shellworks from used oils, already cost-competitive with glass and aluminum.
Vivomer is a bioplastic designed to rival traditional materials on cost. Shellworks, a pioneer in biomaterials, is taking on this challenge, having secured a US$15 million Series A round to expand its production network and reinforce its presence in the US and EU, with a strong focus on the wellness and personal care markets.
Developed over six years of research, Vivomer is a proprietary material produced through microbial fermentation of second-generation feedstocks, such as used cooking oil. It performs like conventional plastic during use but is fully biodegradable at the end of its life. The turning point is its cost competitiveness: even at a scale of around 5 million units, the material has already reached cost parity with glass and aluminum, overcoming one of the main barriers to adoption.
The funding round was led by alter equity, with participation from Nat Friedman (NFDG), JamJar (ex-Innocent Drinks), and continued support from investors including Founder Collective, LocalGlobe, and Third Sphere.
Market validation is already underway in retail: Vivomer is on shelves at Tesco through Wild, a brand in Unilever’s portfolio, and has launched in the United States at Whole Foods Market with Phil’s. Other partnerships include Sonsie Skin, Pamela Anderson’s beauty brand.
For too long, sustainable materials have been seen as too expensive for mass-market adoption - said Insiya Jafferjee, CEO and co-founder of Shellworks - We are already cost-competitive with glass and aluminum, and as we scale further, we will become even more competitive.
The new funding will support the creation of a global production network across the UK, Europe, and the US, with investments in technologies such as blow molding to reduce carbon footprint and strengthen supply chain resilience. The goal is clear: to transform Vivomer from a niche innovation into an industrial-scale platform for sustainable packaging.
