KUALA LUMPUR: Mentari Alam EKO (M) Sdn Bhd (Maeko) plans to strengthen its foothold in food waste management by persuading property developers to include their products in their new developments.

“We are in talks with property developers to include our products in their new developments in the same manner that they provide additional built-ins like cabinets and air-conditioners,” chief executive officer Chelsea Chee told reporters at the International Greentech and Eco Products Exhibition and Conference Malaysia (IGEM) 2014 last Friday.

Maeko is a company that manufactures and distributes food waste composting machines which can convert food waste — at a maximum of 24 hours — into odourless compost that can be used as fertiliser.

Apart from property developers, the company is also in talks with city councils like Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam and Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang to persuade them to take up its composting machines.

Currently, corporations make up 60% of Maeko’s customers, which include PLUS Malaysia Bhd. It uses Maeko’s products at its rest and service areas. KPJ Healthcare Bhd and Ramsay Sime Darby Healthcare (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd also deploy its products at some of their hospitals.

The remainder 40% of Maeko’s customer base is made up of households. To further expand the reach — whether among households or corporate clients — Maeko has embarked on a nationwide awareness programme about food waste management, said Chee.

The company has set up booths in environmental fairs such as the recently concluded IGEM 2014, and has organised awareness campaigns about composting in schools.

The price tag of Maeko’s food waste composting machines ranges from above RM2,000 to RM100,000 and above, depending on the capacity.

Chee said the company plans to offer its products to oil and gas companies and airports in the future.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on October 20, 2014.