Barbara Schreiner Labra: Building a Compostable Packaging Brand From Zero in 2026

Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi! Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand, where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder and CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs.

In this episode, we’re joined by Barbara Schreiner Labra, Marketing Communications Manager at NantBioRenewables, a US manufacturer providing compostable, disposable food-service packaging for restaurants, hotels, amusement parks, and entertainment venues.

 

Key Talking Points

✅ What NantBioRenewables Does. They manufacture compostable packaging solutions for food service, targeting B2B buyers like restaurants, hotels, gyms, fitness clubs, and theme parks.
✅ R&D First, Go-To-Market Later. The company has been operating for five years, with the first three years dedicated to R&D, and only started selling products about a year ago.
✅ Not a Typical Startup. NantBioRenewables is part of the broader Nant network, with 30–35 companies across multiple divisions (energy, pharma, medical, marketing, digital). Barbara describes Renewables as the “new baby” within the group.
✅ Company Footprint. Roughly 70–80 employees across three connected companies (Nant Renewables, Calcine, and NantBioRenewables). Facilities in Gadsden, Alabama (two sites) with a new one being built in Savannah, Georgia.
✅ Building a Brand From Zero.
When Barbara joined, the company had: minimal website; no meaningful sales tools; no brochures, flyers, or messaging framework; So her 2025 mission was: build the brand + the go-to-market engine from scratch.
✅ Carbon Negative Story, Without Greenwashing. They emphasize the raw material is harvested from an area with no sea life, and after harvesting, it returns to normal visually within 24 hours
✅ Regulation Is Turning Compostables into “Must-Have”. In some US states, compostables are shifting from “nice-to-have” to compliance-driven requirement, supported by regulation and consumer expectation.
✅ AI Changed the Marketing Game. Barbara started “anti-AI,” then flipped to becoming a daily user. Her key realization: AI doesn’t replace the team. It makes teams faster and sharper.
✅ The New Fear: AI Search Visibility. She realized quickly: it’s not just SEO anymore.
If ChatGPT / Gemini / Copilot don’t know your brand, you don’t exist in the buyer’s shortcut research process.
✅ 2026 Focus: Customer Stories + Case Studies
The priority this year is: highlight customer success stories; build campaigns around customers’ sustainability journeys; show proof through real brands using the product (amusement parks, fitness clubs, restaurants, coffee shops, juice bars).

 

Notable Quotes & Moments

📌 “I had to build the whole brand. I didn’t even have a website.”
📌 “It’s not just selling a straw. It’s helping them through the whole challenge.”
📌 “I was totally against AI… and now it’s amazing. I’m a big fan.”
📌 “If ChatGPT doesn’t know my brand, I’m not here.”

 

About Barbara Schreiner Labra

Barbara Schreiner Labra is the Marketing Communications Manager at NantBioRenewables, bringing experience across sustainable packaging, B2B marketing, events, and brand communications throughout North and South America. She specializes in building trust through storytelling, proof-driven positioning, and customer-led marketing.

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/barbara-schreiner-labra

 

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👋 Connect with your hosts:
👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn
👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn

 

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