How Planetize's Founder Seized Opportunities to Grow Her Eco-Packaging Company

Where some viewed Canada’s single-use plastic ban as a restriction, Shravana Goswami saw a business opportunity. A conversation at the dinner table with her dad set her on the path to entrepreneurship.

"Canada's single-use plastic ban resulted in the growing need for eco-friendly packaging in the food service industry," Shravana said. So why not fill the need herself?

Inspired by her family of entrepreneurs, she launched Planetize Packaging in July 2022. Shravana started by selling her products to restaurants door-to-door. By November, she quit her day job to focus on her business.

The next opportunity Shravana seized was expanding Planetize's product line—and her target audience in the process. Her first offerings were imported goods made from biodegradable sugarcane fiber. She added other lines, such as kraft paper bags and recyclable to-go boxes. ?As her product selection increased from 10 to 500, she was able to expand from restaurants to cafes, hotels and other industries with food services sectors.

As Planetize grew, Shravana's eye for optimization identified her next chance to level up: bringing operations in-house. "From a logistics point of view, owning more parts of our value chain allowed us to have better control over our operations," she said. This expanded Planetize's capabilities, adding next-day delivery and custom branding offerings. The family business now employs 10 people, including her brothers.

Shravana's future plans follow her strategy of owning more of Planetize's value chain by opening her own manufacturing facility. She also aims to complete her products' "cradle to grave" lifecycle. "We hope to close the loop by partnering with composting and recycling programs," she said.

In addition to pursuing growth opportunities at every turn, Shravana advises entrepreneurs to take calculated risks. "Assess how your business operates from all perspectives," she said.

"Mistakes will be made along the way, but those learnings shape you to become a better leader."

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