Meet *Holy Carp!*—the compostable soy sauce dropper replacing plastic fish for good
A new compostable alternative to traditional soy sauce droppers is set to launch, offering a greener solution for takeaway food. Called Holy Carp!, the plant-based product breaks down in home compost within weeks. Its arrival comes as South Australia prepares to ban single-use soy fish later this year.
The Holy Carp! dropper was developed by Heliograf, a company specialising in sustainable packaging. Made from bagasse pulp and other plant fibres, it replaces plastic soy fish that can persist for centuries. The design allows restaurants to fill it fresh on-site, keeping soy sauce fresher and giving them better control over portion sizes.
Heliograf estimates that between 8 and 12 billion plastic soy fish have been used since the 1950s. These often end up in landfills, slowly breaking down into microplastics. In contrast, Holy Carp! decomposes in 4-6 weeks under normal composting conditions. The project involved collaboration with Notpla, a company known for eco-friendly packaging solutions. Additionally, Futamura worked with Repaq and GK Sondermaschinenbau to create a compostable sachet for liquids, further expanding sustainable options for food packaging.
The launch of Holy Carp! provides a timely alternative ahead of South Australia’s single-use soy fish ban. Its plant-based design aims to cut plastic waste while offering practical benefits for food businesses. The product will be available for use in takeaway and restaurant settings in the coming months.
