Eco-Products® and OZZI® are collaborating on a comprehensive initiative aimed at enhancing the accessibility of reusable food and drink packaging options for businesses, colleges, hospitals, and other institutions. This concerted effort not only supports foodservice operators in achieving their sustainability objectives but also helps divert waste from landfills and reduce operational costs.
This multifaceted initiative includes a range of innovative solutions. Notably, it features Veda™, a new line of robust and reusable food containers launched by Eco-Products in October. Additionally, Eco-Products provides complimentary consultation from their Product & Zero Waste Specialists, guiding organizations through the transition to reusable systems. OZZI enhances the offering with collection and tracking solutions designed specifically for reuse systems.
Furthermore, OZZI introduces an attractive financing option that minimizes the initial financial burden for foodservice establishments investing in the OZZI Machine. This fully automated collection solution boasts container retention rates of up to 97%.
“We’re committed to making reuse practical and accessible for businesses, campuses, and other institutions,” stated Wendell Simonson, Director of Marketing at Eco-Products. “With innovative new products and free guidance, we’re enabling dining venues to adopt solutions that are beneficial for both their financial performance and the environment.”
Utilizing reusable products gives businesses and institutions a prominent platform to demonstrate their commitment to waste diversion. Moreover, it instills confidence in users and program managers that circularity is being effectively achieved, often resulting in cost savings when a successful collection system is implemented.
“We’re passionate about helping companies and institutions achieve their sustainability objectives,” added OZZI President and CEO Thomas Wright. “It’s even better when we can help them lower their costs at the same time.”
More than 300 colleges and universities nationwide, including Notre Dame, Florida State, and UC San Diego, utilize the OZZI system.
“We’re saving money and not discarding containers,” noted Jeffrey Palmer, director of dining services for UC San Diego Housing, Dining, and Hospitality. “It has absolutely paid for itself, becoming part of our campus culture. It’s impressive to see students carrying the bright green containers. For us, it’s not just about food; it’s about enhancing the student experience and supporting the vision of this generation and the next.”
OZZI combines both innovation and simplicity in its approach: diners receive their meals in clean, reusable containers, enjoy their food, and return the containers to OZZI Collection Stations. These stations include manual Drop N’ GO™ boxes or fully automated OZZI Machines, where containers are subsequently washed, sanitized, and prepared for reuse.
Veda containers are NSF Certified and designed to meet stringent food protection and safety standards, while Ecolab tests ensure they withstand a minimum of 1,000 washes. The OZZI system can operate independently or integrate seamlessly into campus meal plan systems such as CBORD® and Atrium.
Eco-Products and OZZI are proactively taking significant steps to make reusable food and drink sustainable packaging more accessible to institutions across the nation. Key initiatives include:
· New durable and reusable foodservice containers from Eco-Products: The Veda product line, equipped with OZZI’s advanced tracking and collection technology, offers a variety of sizes and options to cater to diverse needs.
· Complimentary expert guidance from Eco-Products: The Eco-Products’ Product & Zero Waste specialists offer free support to facilitate the transition from single-use to reusable containers.
· Innovative financing from OZZI: A new financing plan allows foodservice establishments to acquire reusable containers, OZZI collection machines, two O2GO carts, collection reports, five years of tech support, and a full parts warranty—with no subscription fees, transaction costs, or monthly charges.
“Our mission focuses on making waste diversion achievable for everyone,” Simonson remarked. “This new integration of reusable containers, along with tracking and collection systems, can enhance accessibility and affordability like never before.”
For further information about Eco-Products’ Veda containers and other sustainable innovations in food and drink packaging, visit www.ecoproducts.com.
To discover more about OZZI’s reusable system, please go to www.ozzireuse.com.
