Big Mac Deal Boosts EarthShell Stock

Shares of EarthShell Corp. rose 14% after it said McDonald’s Corp. approved the use of its biodegradable sandwich containers for the biggest restaurant chain’s Big Mac hamburgers in 300 restaurants. Shares of EarthShell rose 38 cents to close at $3.13 on Nasdaq. The Santa Barbara-based company is selling the container to 128 stores in the Chicago area, and expects to provide it to about 300 stores by January. The product is the exclusive package for Big Macs in those stores, company spokesman Vincent J. Truant said. The containers are made from potato starch, limestone and recycled fiber and can dissolve in water. EarthShell also makes a line of biodegradable cutlery. Shares of Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald’s fell 63 cents to close at $31.88 on the NYSE.