World’s most exclusive trial?

The tiny hamlet of Nobottle, Northamptonshire (population 30), has become home to the launch of a new production innovation trial: innocent ginger shots with, you guessed it, no bottle!

innocent has teamed up with packaging pioneer Notpla to pilot plastic free ‘Ooho pod’ packaging, made of completely biodegradable seaweed. The pod can be popped whole into your mouth and the packaging swallowed.

To mark the launch, innocent put up a temporary, recyclable, village sign commemorating the pilot, which was also commemorated on the local noticeboard (with a sign also made from seaweed), and residents including composer, songwriter and music producer Steve Anderson were invited to try the product, before it was taken to be tried by the wider public in a nearby city. Some 78% of people who tried the innocent pods said they would buy them if they were available today.

Nobottle resident Steve Anderson said, ‘I am honoured Nobottle got to try this no bottle innovation. It is a great idea and I am looking forward to seeing how it ends up coming to the mass market. We don’t have a shop in Nobottle but if we did, I would hope they would stock it.’

innocent’s Andy Wallis said, ‘Where better to pilot a product with no bottle than…Nobottle? This is about seeing how this new technology can be used, not just in our ginger shots but our other drinks and smoothies, too.’ 

Pierre Paslier, co-founder and co-CEO, Notpla, added: ‘At Notpla, we believe nature has already given us the materials we need to rethink packaging. Our natural packaging range, including our Ooho pods, use seaweed to create a compostable, edible alternatives to single-use plastics, designed to disappear without leaving waste behind.

‘Working with great brands like innocent gives us an exciting opportunity to explore how it could work for everyday moments, sustainably. It feels particularly fitting to be starting that journey in a place called Nobottle!’

Author and environmentalist Dominique Palmer was also there to see the pilot happen and added: ‘It is so interesting that you don't have to bin this packaging; you just swallow it! The future needs innovative ideas like this, and imagination about how they can be used. I am excited to see alternatives to plastic pollution being explored, so I am looking forward to seeing everyone else's reactions to the pilot, and where it goes next.’