Miles Leach saw an opportunity to transform the packaging industry by combining innovative materials with a commitment to sustainability. With a vision for a greener future, Kanbol set out to revolutionize single-use food containers and make sustainable packaging more accessible and impactful.
With a shift in market demands and a passion for solving complex challenges, Miles leveraged his experience in packaging and logistics to explore renewable materials that could replace traditional plastics and foam. From the start, Kanbol focused on using abundant, renewable resources like corn stover to create high-quality, eco-friendly products.
Kanbol’s mission is driven by a belief in the power of innovative science and collaborative teamwork. With a dynamic team and a deep connection to Kentucky’s agricultural roots, Kanbol is forging a path to a more sustainable future.
We asked the Founder and CEO, Miles Leach, to learn more about the inspiration behind Kanbol, the innovative processes powering its products, and the company’s bold vision for the future of sustainable packaging.
How did you become interested in Sustainable Packaging?
ML: Several things converged around the same time. My background is in packaging and logistics. These are very price-sensitive industries with a constant mission to lower costs. At the same time, our packaging clients started to request more sustainable options, with less plastic and foam. We could see the market starting to shift. And from a raw material perspective, if there is a strong supply line, the cost can be consistent. So we started looking at many different types of materials, which were either in abundance or were annually renewable, or both. And could have some potential to be upcycled into packaging. During our years of development, there continued to be a growing demand for sustainable products on the market, along with increases in recycling infrastructure. That momentum continued to feed the pace of our development efforts.
What inspired you to become a founder?
ML: I was given an opportunity early in my career to work on improving a faltering manufacturing operation. It took years, as I needed to learn and then remediate every aspect of the facility (quality control, inventory management, accounting, sales, etc.). It was extremely challenging but ultimately successful. The process taught me a lot of mistakes to avoid. Armed with that experience, I was intrigued to start a new business from scratch and set things up right from the start. I have now founded multiple industrial businesses. Each time through the cycle has helped me develop more innovative products and processes. In founding Kanbol, we spent years in R&D to make sure we had things right up front. I am very excited about the path we have created for Kanbol, and the role it will play as a future leader in sustainable packaging.
Tell us about your team: Who’s on it?
ML: Our COO, Pam Horine, graduated from the Naval Academy in one of the first classes that accepted females. After graduating she served in the Marines working in airplane maintenance, among other positions. After service, she went on and got her PhD in Chemistry. She then began a career in pulp and paper. She has knocked down cultural barriers, led troubleshooting for highly critical equipment, operates from a foundation of science, and shows up ready and inspires her team every day. It is fulfilling to be on this journey with her.
Can you discuss how your idea to create sustainable food containers is tied to KY’s bourbon industry?
ML: So, from 1980 to today, average corn yields have nearly doubled. And there is basically a 1:1 ratio between corn yields and the amount of corn stover biomass. In systems where the corn stover production exceeds the minimum amounts needed to maintain soil health, a stover harvest becomes viable. Removing a portion of the excess residue is expected to improve stand establishment and increase the grain yield of the subsequent crop.
So we are working with corn farmers in South Central Kentucky to align with their harvest operations. After they harvest the grain we go in and harvest the excess corn stover. The largest farm we work with sends its grain to bourbon distilleries. Then we gather those stalks and turn them into single-use food containers.
In founding Kanbol, we spent years in R&D to make sure we had things right up front. I am very excited about the path we have created for Kanbol, and the role it will play as a future leader in sustainable packaging.
What does success look like to Kanbol in the short term and long term?
ML: In the short term we are all about our product and the market. Making sure we have identified the right market and understand it deeply. Then deliver the right quality to our customers in those markets– and successfully complete this cycle repetitively. In the long term, our vision is to develop numerous additional end products, to multiply the amount of excess corn stover we can use. I love the fundamentals of our FlowForm technology. It is a minimalist process that is carefully calibrated to process corn stalks. As we scale, we are also scaling a lower carbon footprint.
Find out more about Kanbol at kanbolinc.com. Are you a startup based in or looking to relocate to Kentucky? Keyhorse’s current quarterly investment cycle is open! Apply now.
.png)