In this case study, we show how we developed a reusable product line for our food packaging division. Thanks to our many years of experience and expertise in the field of food packaging, we were able to develop a product line named circ Nette Mehrweg which is precisely tailored to the needs of our catering customers and supports them in an optimal way with regards to the now mandatory offer or reusable packaging from January 1, 2023.
An amendment to the Packaging Act obliges all catering businesses from January 1, 2023, to offer reusable containers in addition to disposable containers in the to-go and delivery business. All catering businesses with 5 or more employees or a sales area of 80 square meters are affected by this regulation. If the store area is smaller, the number of employees applies.
Not only our customers, but also, we were challenged by this change in the law. More and more often, we as industry experts were asked about the new law and asked for alternatives to our disposable products. Many of our customers were not convinced by the solutions already available on the market. It was therefore quickly clear to us that we would do something of our own.
In order to meet all these requirements, we had formed a project team right at the beginning of the idea, which was then dealing intensively with product development and possible marketing models for our circ reuse line.
With the support of a product design agency, we produced initial drafts. We made sure that all products could be stacked to save space. The fill contents of our reusable containers had to be exactly the same as those of the corresponding disposable containers, which should save restaurateurs a changeover when calculating fill quantities. A recognizable design, whose elements run through the entire product line, was also important to us. Through close cooperation with our customers, we received constructive and valuable feedback in several phases, which we were able to incorporate into our product design during the development process.
The development of the first samples was initially done in the CAD program, and the first production in the 3D printer. After a supplier for the current production was found, the first sample orders were triggered. The production samples made it clear that some corrections were necessary due to the material used (PP) and the manufacturing process. However, it was important for us to use the mono-material polypropylene in order to be able to guarantee 100% recyclability and sustainability of our products. As a result of the corrections, the lids on the containers finally closed leak-proof, so that all products could be officially tested. This ultimately confirmed that the containers were leak-proof, temperature-resistant, dishwasher-safe and food-safe.
Parallel to the testing processes, we had to make a variety of other decisions. These ranged from naming and pricing to appropriate marketing measures. The development of different usage models and deposit systems also posed a particular challenge. To provide our customers with the greatest possible flexibility, we developed 3 different models. On the one hand, the catering businesses can buy our containers and hand them out to their customers with their own deposit system. Furthermore, it is possible to buy the containers and use them together with our circ-App. This provides the business with a transparent system to control the inventory of available reusable containers. The third variant, the rental model, does not include an initial investment for the containers and organizes the deposit handling as well as the product stock in the operation fully automatically.
In April 2022, the time had finally come: for the first time, we were able to present our fully developed circ Nette reusable product line at the Internorga - the international trade fair for the hotel, catering, communal catering, bakery and confectionery industries in Hamburg. The positive feedback and the inquiries and orders we have received since then show us that the decision to launch our own reusable line was strategically important and correct.
✔ Complete range of the most important to-go containers as a reusable solution
✔ Attractive uniform "Made in Germany" design
✔ Highest functionality in use
✔ Absolute durability
✔ 100% recyclable
✔ Customized color and printing is possible
✔ Maximum flexibility due to various deposit models
