Eco-Products® and OZZI® are partnering on a new multiprong initiative to make reusable foodservice containers more accessible to businesses, colleges, hospitals and other institutions — an effort that could help foodservice operators meet their sustainability goals, help keep waste out of landfills and reduce costs.
This multipronged initiative features several innovative solutions. The initiatives include Veda™, introduced in October, a new line of durable and reusable containers from Eco-Products; free guidance from the company’s Product & Zero Waste Specialists on how to convert to reusables; and collection and tracking solutions for reuse systems provided by the team at OZZI.
OZZI is offering a new financing option that lowers the initial costs for foodservice establishments looking to invest in the OZZI Machine — a fully automated collection solution that supports container retention rates up to 97%.
“We’re committed to making reuse practical and accessible for businesses, campuses and other institutions,” said Wendell Simonson, Director of Marketing at Eco-Products. “With innovative new products and free guidance, we’re helping dining venues transition to solutions that work for both their bottom line and the planet.”
Reusable products offer businesses and institutions a highly visible way to showcase their commitments to waste diversion, provide an increased level of confidence for the user and program manager that circularity is being achieved, and often deliver cost savings when a successful collection system is in place.
“We’re passionate about helping companies and institutions achieve their sustainability objectives,” said OZZI President and CEO Thomas Wright. “It is even better when we’re able to help them reduce their costs at the same time.”
Among those using the OZZI system are more than 300 colleges and universities across the country, including Notre Dame, Florida State and the UC San Diego.
“We’re saving money and not throwing away containers,” said Jeffrey Palmer, the director of dining services with UC San Diego Housing, Dining and Hospitality. “It has absolutely paid for itself, and it’s become a part of our culture and geography here on campus. It’s really cool to see students walking around with the bright green containers. It’s not just about food for us. It’s about creating a student experience and supporting student vision for this generation and the next.”
The OZZI system combines innovation and simplicity: Diners receive their meals in clean reusable containers, enjoy their food, and return the containers to OZZI Collection Stations — either a manual Drop N’ GO™ box or an automated OZZI Machine. The containers are then washed, sanitized and prepared for their next use.
Veda containers are NSF Certified to meet food protection and safety standards, and Ecolab ware tested to a minimum of 1,000 washes. The OZZI system works independently or integrates seamlessly into campus meal plan systems like CBORD® and Atrium.
Eco-Products and OZZI are taking a number of important steps to make reusable containers more accessible to institutions nationwide. Among them:
· New line of durable and reusable foodservice containers from Eco-Products: The Veda line of containers, equipped with OZZI’s tracking and collection technology, offers a variety of sizes and options to meet diverse needs.
· Free expert guidance from Eco-Products: Eco-Products’ Product & Zero Waste specialists provide free support to help organizations easily transition from single-use to reusable containers.
· Innovative financing from OZZI: A new financing option that offers foodservice establishments reusable containers, OZZI collection machines, two O2GO carts, collection reports, five years of tech support and a full parts warranty — all with no subscriptions, transaction fees or monthly charges.
“Our mission is all about finding ways to make waste diversion a reality for everyone,” Simonson said. “This new combination of reusable containers, tracking and collection systems can make that more accessible and affordable than ever.”
For more information about Eco-Products’ Veda containers and other sustainable innovations, visit www.ecoproducts.com.
To learn about OZZI’s reusable system, go to www.ozzireuse.com.