In 2020, we launched the Light Soy lamp to shine a light on the big problem with small plastics, like the iconic soy fish, and to help stop ocean pollution at the sauce. Since then, we’ve inspired thousands of people to rethink waste and supported the cleanup of more than 32 tonnes of plastic.

But sushi’s problem with single-use plastic hasn’t gone away.

The soy fish are cute and convenient, but while they serve their purpose for just a few minutes, they can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. Once they escape into nature, they can harm marine life and break down into microplastics… potentially ending up in our food supply.

They’ve become a symbol of a wasteful, linear economy that’s harming both people and the planet.

To give a sense of the 'scale' of the problem: 40% of the world's plastic waste is from packaging (source). The world consumes nearly a trillion single-use plastic sachets annually (source), and we estimate that 8–12 billion soy fish have been used since their invention in the 1950s.

Those plastics haven’t disappeared. They remain in landfills and the environment, slowly fragmenting into ever smaller pieces. Scientists now find microplastics everywhere: from the deepest ocean trenches to the summit of Mount Everest and even in our brains.

For the past five years, we’ve been highlighting this problem. But awareness alone isn’t enough. We’ve always wanted to find a better alternative than simply “going without.”

At the same time, single-use plastic bans are coming. A ban has already started in South Australia, and more are likely to follow. Consumers need a way to enjoy soy sauce without leaving a pile of plastic in their wake.

We've collaborated with leading sushi restaurants and award-winning designers Vert Design, to create a solution that is practical, planet-friendly, commercial and still provides the same spark of joy as the original soy fish.

It's a small change, but we truly believe every drop matters.

Holy Carp! is filled fresh at the store, which allows us to use a more sustainable material and means the sauce is fresher. It also gives stores the flexibility to choose which sauce, or sauces, they provide.

We’ve also made Holy Carp! larger than a typical plastic soy fish after observing that many customers grab a handful rather than just one. Each container holds up to 12mL of soy sauce, with internal fill lines indicating a half or full serve.

Holy Carp! is coming soon! If you'd like to get the first catch it first, please enquire now.