From Prototype to Pilot: A Conversation with GTB & traceless®
- traceless
- Jun 26
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 7
Testing, scaling, and serving circularity — one pick at a time.
At this year’s Rock am Ring and Rock im Park, something new took the stage — and it wasn’t part of the official line-up. We’re talking about the plant-based, plastic-free and home-compostable friespickers made from our traceless® material. Behind the scenes, it marked a major milestone for circular foodservice.
In this interview, we catch up with Karen Matthiesen, Project Manager & Sustainability Officer at GTB Gastro Team Bremen, part of Aramark Germany, and Leonie Stadler, Sales Manager at traceless, to talk about the collaboration, the pilot project — and what’s next for circular foodservice at scale.
Leonie, how did this collaboration with GTB begin?
Leonie: “Our partnership with GTB started back in 2022, when we first collaborated on developing a sustainable alternative to conventional friespickers for event catering. The first prototype was showcased at Labor Tempelhof in Berlin — a concert series known for piloting sustainable solutions in real-world settings. The goal was simple: find a single-use solution that was truly sustainable, and operationally practical.
In 2024, we took that idea a step further at the next edition of Labor Tempelhof — this time, the pickers were not just showcased, but actually used at the event and on a broader scale. And now, in 2025, we’ve moved into industrial production, rolling out the friespicker at two of Germany’s biggest music festivals. It’s been a journey of co-development, real-world feedback, and scaling — step by step.”
Karen, why was it important for GTB to test a solution like traceless® at these festivals?
Karen: “Events like Rock am Ring and Rock im Park are among the biggest we cater — several hundred thousand of meals are served over one weekend. So when we explore alternatives to conventional plastics, we need to know they can perform at scale. The friespicker made from traceless® material offered a promising combination: plastic-free, compostable, and a high scale-up potential. This was a great opportunity to test how a solution like this works under high-volume conditions.’’
What makes foodservice sustainability at large events so complex?
Karen: “It’s the logistics. Large-scale events have short turnaround times, mobile kitchens, limited space, and tight hygiene regulations. Reusable systems are ideal in many cases, but at festivals, they often hit practical limits. So we’re always looking for smart single-use options that still align with our sustainability standards.
Karen: ''traceless® offers exactly that: a material that works operationally — and helps reduce overall waste. Designed according to the cradle-to-cradle principle, traceless® breaks down fully in the biological cycle, leaving nothing behind. It’s a truly zero-waste approach.''
What kind of feedback did you receive from operators and visitors?
Leonie: “The response was really positive. Food truck teams appreciated how easy the friespickers were to use — and guests liked having the choice. Of course, some people still eat fries with their hands — and that’s fine! But for those who preferred a utensil, this was a great option.
And we had good conversations about the material too — people were curious, and it sparked dialogue about alternatives to plastic. Yes, it performs a bit different than conventional plastic, but we see that as a feature, not a flaw — and expectation management is key. What matters most is that the product works, and the sustainability story resonates.”
Could this solution be scaled across other GTB or Aramark operations?
Karen: “Absolutely. If a product integrates well into daily operations — and proves to be sustainable, reliable, and easy to handle — then there’s every reason to scale it in the future. And it’s not just about friespickers. We’re excited to keep exploring other items in the traceless® foodservice collection as well — anything that helps reduce our reliance on fossil-based plastics in situations where single-use is still needed.”
Leonie, what did it mean to see the friespickers in action at these festivals?
Leonie: “Honestly, it was a special moment for all of us at traceless. You work for years on a material — from lab tests to prototypes, from formulations to certifications — and then you see it in real-world use, in the hands of thousands of people.
Leonie: ''It was a real milestone, not just for the product, but for our mission. It was proof that sustainable alternatives can work in even the most demanding environments.”
Why is foodservice such a big focus area for traceless®?
Leonie: “Because it’s where real impact can happen. The foodservice industry is still one of the biggest sources of single-use plastic — and while reuse is key, it’s not always an option in every setting.
That’s where our material comes in. We’re building a collection specifically for those fast-paced, high-turnover environments where hygiene and convenience are essential. Starting with friespickers, and soon expanding to cutlery, ice cream spoons and more, the goal is to offer a full portfolio of alternatives that work for real-world operations. Every item is made from our material, produced through a resource-efficient process that cuts CO₂ emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional plastic over production and disposal.”
You’ve done pilots before — how was this one different?
Leonie: “This was the first time we used our industrial production setup for a public, high-volume event. So it wasn’t just about material performance — it was about logistics, stakeholder alignment, food truck integration, user feedback... the full picture. And we passed that test. Which gives us — and our partners — confidence in what’s next.”
What’s coming next for traceless and the foodservice line?
Leonie: “2025 is a big year — we’re getting closer to our commercial market entry, which means scaling up production significantly. That allows us to serve more partners across Europe, including those in foodservice who’ve been asking for sustainable alternatives they can rely on.”
