“When I visited a supplier in Scotland, I was horrified by two things,” said John. “First was the sheer wastage and spoilage of product in transit. Up to 60pc of product shipped to Dubai can be lost – and around 20pc of product shipped to Europe.

“Second was the impact of expanded polystyrene (EPS). It’s one of the world’s worst polluters, and when you see 5,000 polystyrene boxes in one location, you realise something is very wrong and needs to change.”

iBOXiT was named Start Up Business of the Year at the EDP Business Awards 2025, in recognition of its innovative packaging solutions that provide a sustainable alternative to EPS in cold chain logistics.

“The awards night was fantastic, but the knock‑on effect was huge,” said John. “When we shared the news on social media, the engagement was higher than anything we’ve ever posted. Any award provides independent validation of what we’re trying to achieve.”

The first product that iBOXiT developed was a plant-based antimicrobial spray, which can be applied directly to food and extend shelf life by up to 14 days.

Innovate UK awarded iBOXiT an........

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