Corn Next Brings Its CornNext-17 Natural Material Platform to PACK EXPO International 2026

Corn Next is bringing its CornNext-17 material technology to PACK EXPO International 2026, showcasing how a natural material made from corn starch, water, and enzymes can be transformed into functional products using established manufacturing processes.

At the center of the company’s work is CornNext-17, a natural material platform developed as an alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics and traditional bioplastic resins.

Through Corn Next’s proprietary enzyme-assisted, solid-state fermentation process, corn starch is converted into a processable material while retaining its polysaccharide structure. The resulting material can be adapted for different manufacturing methods and product requirements.

From Material Technology to Real-World Products

Corn Next began commercializing the technology through drinking straws, giving the company an opportunity to refine the material, manufacturing process, and performance at commercial scale.

Today, the platform is expanding beyond straws.

At PACK EXPO, Corn Next will showcase commercial drinking straws alongside second-generation cutlery and dry-powder scoops. The products demonstrate how CornNext-17 can be processed through methods such as extrusion and injection molding, creating opportunities for the technology to move into a broader range of packaging and short-use applications.

But the products are only one part of the story.

CornNext-17 is a material platform. Corn Next is working with manufacturers, brands, packaging companies, and other partners to evaluate how the material can be adapted to different product designs, performance requirements, manufacturing processes, and applications.

Rather than limiting the technology to a fixed catalog of finished products, the company sees collaboration and product development as an important part of bringing CornNext-17 into new markets.

Designed for a Different Material Life Cycle

Many everyday products are used for only a short period of time but are made from materials that can persist much longer after disposal.

Corn Next’s approach is based on a simple principle: the life of the material should better match the life of the product it serves.

That philosophy has guided the development of CornNext-17 and the company’s focus on applications traditionally made from conventional plastics. The goal is to provide manufacturers and brands with another material option as they explore ways to reduce their reliance on persistent petroleum-based plastics.

Independent third-party certifications also support specific characteristics of Corn Next’s commercial straw technology. The drinking straws have been verified by flustix as MIN. 99.8% PLASTIC-FREE and certified through the USDA BioPreferred Program as a USDA Certified Biobased Product with 98% biobased content.

Built for Collaboration and Scale

Corn Next’s focus at PACK EXPO goes beyond displaying finished products.

The company is looking to connect with brand owners, manufacturers, packaging companies, foodservice suppliers, distributors, and other industry partners interested in testing CornNext-17 for their own applications.

Partners can begin with material samples and testing, then work with Corn Next to evaluate performance, processing, cost, supply, sustainability requirements, and potential paths toward commercialization.

Corn Next is also continuing to explore packaging, fiber applications, and future feedstocks as the CornNext-17 platform develops.

See CornNext-17 at PACK EXPO

Visitors to PACK EXPO International can explore CornNext-17 and see how Corn Next is moving the technology from material development into commercial applications at Lakeside Lower Exhibits – Booth LL-10414.

Straws and cutlery are where the material started—not where it stops.

Bring us the application. We’ll explore what CornNext-17 can become.