The founder of Swag, the Swag, reveals how her storage bags work

A mum from Sydney has revealed how her simple invention of keeping fruit and vegetables fresh for longer in the fridge has become a successful company worth more than $ 5 million.

Peita Pini launched The swag biodegradable bags in 2016 after they had noticed her fruit and vegetables took no longer than a few days packed in plastic from the supermarket.

Its reusable packages, which roll up like a traditional Australian swag, are machine washable and at the end of their service life, which is around two years, they can be buried in the garden to be eaten by earthworms.

Scroll down for video

Peita grew up on the area in northwest Sydney, surrounded by a worm farm, a compost heap, a vegetable garden and an abundance of animals.

& # 39; When I left the house and became the main grocery buyer, I closed my fruits and vegetables in plastic bags or containers because I thought this would stay much fresher, but this was not the case, & # 39; she said.

Mrs. Pini saw the condensation that developed in her plastic bags and realized that foods sweat nutrients from the fresh food & # 39; They were choking and rotting faster than they should be.

& # 39; I had a deep belief that most people hate food waste and deep down we want to do what is good for our family, our community, and the environment in which we live. Sometimes the problem seems so overwhelming that we don't know where to start, & # 39; she said.

Enter the pockets of the Swag.

The thick, absorbent middle layer of the cotton satchel locks moisture and continues to water the fruits and vegetables in the fridge

The thick, absorbent middle layer of the cotton satchel locks the moisture and continues to hydrate the fruit and vegetables in the refrigerator.

& # 39; On August 24, 2016, I launched The Swag via my personal Facebook page using a basic educational video and to my surprise the video went somewhat viral & # 39 ;, she said.

& # 39; In the first few hours I had more than sixty orders, mostly from completely unknown people who had watched and shared the video. These people had clearly identified themselves with the problem of food waste and have fully embraced the solution. & # 39;

The preparation is simple: wash the bags in the machine once before use, moisten them with water, wring them dry and then place all types of products in them.

Fruit is best placed in the bag before it is ripe, as it releases a chemical called ethylene, once ready to eat, which speeds up the ripening of other fruit in the bag.

Reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with the Australian owner's brand in the O-magazine of Oprah as a featured product

The price is generous with a starter package of two small flounces, a long swag and a large swag of $ 66.32.

A lunch swag costs $ 12.95 and a small swag costs $ 18.95.

The company has sold more than 300,000 units in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and the UK.

& # 39; What I find most exciting is that The Swag saves the average Aussie family about $ 1500 a year in fresh food waste, & # 39; she said.

Advertisements

A woman said the results she got were & # 39; better than she initially thought possible & # 39;

Reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with the Australian owner's brand in the O-magazine of Oprah as a featured product.

A woman said the results she got were & # 39; better than she had initially thought possible & # 39 ;.

& # 39; I can't believe it. My vegetables are still as fresh as the day I bought them three weeks ago. No more waste for me, & she said.

Appeared on Shark Tank in 2018, the businesswoman sealed a $ 150,000 deal with Greencross founder Glen Richards after throwing her smart money-saving hack.

At that time, she had already sold 60,000 bags, with the company transferring impressive sales of $ 320,000 after making $ 83,000 profit in the first financial year.

Appeared on Shark Tank in 2018, the businesswoman sealed a $ 150,000 deal with Greencross founder Glen Richards after throwing her smart money-saving hack