Milubo
FRANCE
Contact: hello@milubo.com
Localisation: Montreuil (93)
Sector: Catering
Creation date: 2019
Meeting date: December 2020
Project maturity: Under development
Overview
Milubo is a French company founded in April 2019 in Paris.
Milubo offers a “zero waste” solution and a new consumption mode for fast food restaurants with the implementation of a lunchbox and returnable and reusable cups offer.
This model reduces the environmental impact of fast food by offering an alternative to the use of single packaging, generally made of plastic.
in January 2017 and inaugurates its first cocotarium on 95 in January 2018.
- 75,000 packaging avoided containers
- 8,000 cups in circulation
- An average of 50 partner companies
- 3 cities: Paris, Nantes and Marseille (Lyon and Bordeau to come)
how the project works
By 2023, it will be impossible to use disposable tableware in fast-food restaurants for meals served on site, with the anti-waste law for a circular economy. It is therefore becoming necessary to find alternatives to single-use packaging to meet the upcoming legislation.
Milubo presents itself as an alternative to the use of single-use dishes by offering a range of returnable containers. It works directly with retailers according to their needs. The price of the deposit is variable according to the containers which are of 2 types: cups and bowls.
After consumption, customers can return the container to any of the businesses using Milubo’s services. All the stores are listed on their website.
The objective is to encourage customers to return return returnable containers.
In order to fight against the retention effect of containers, they are standardized and neutral. The objective is not to make limited editions (Christmas, Valentine’s Day…).
Milubo has several logistic missions, which are carried out from their platform in Montreuil:
possibility to clean the containers: mainly the bowls which are recovered every day.
preparation of deliveries
restocking with a fair redistribution of containers between the different businesses
The service offered is based on a monthly subscription and includes the provision of the containers, the use of digital billing and the cleaning of the containers. The cleaning is billed per container.
Milubo currently has a single logistics platform. The objective being to develop the short circuit, cleaning is only offered to businesses in the Paris region: 2 in Montreuil, the others in the 10th, 11th and 18th arrondissements.
The cups, which are easier to maintain, are generally cleaned by the businesses offering them, which allows Milubo to offer its service in cities without cleaning platforms. Milubo has been present in Lyon since December.
In addition to the environmental approach, these containers have other advantages:
- customer loyalty
- Neutral design favouring deposit
- taste neutral
Containers are available in three materials:
- Polypropylene (recycled and recyclable plastic): this material offers the advantage of having a low production cost and is reusable between 200 and 500 times depending on the container. The problem remains easy deterioration (they are removed if they are too worn out). The deposit for this type of container is from 1€ for cups and up to 4.50€ for bowls.
- Glass: The deposit for this type of container is between 1,20 and 1,09€, despite its higher weight this type of container is reusable for a longer period of time.
- Stainless steel: This material is used in a smaller proportion. They are proposed for caterers or bulk coffee for example.
Both types of containers (cups and bowls) are available in 3 sizes (small, medium and large).
sustainable development approach
- Eco Design/Extended Service Life: Materials have been selected to obtain containers that have a long service life and can be recycled.
- Economy of functionality: Milubo does not offer a product (container) but a service. By offering neutral containers, Milubo encourages customers to detach themselves from the possession of the good and therefore to return the container to the café/restaurant.
- Responsible consumption: By limiting the overproduction of packaging, Milubo contributes to a more responsible consumption.
By the introduction of the deposit, the number of packages is reduced considerably. Since the introduction of this system, 75,000 packages have been avoided.
The major challenge of the project is based on the recovery of containers, the return rate is currently 85%. The objective is to increase this return rate in order to provide as few additional containers as possible.
Containers that are too worn out after successive uses are recycled.
The use of reusable containers reduces the cost of packaging. They become profitable after an average of four uses:
2 uses for ‘low cost’ packaging
5 uses for slightly more expensive packaging.
The choice to offer neutral containers allows :
encourage the return of packaging: the more containers returned, the less it is necessary to invest in new containers.
avoid collection: no limited editions that can add additional development costs and promote retention.
The objective is to make the consumer stand out from the container.
Container homogenization allows the development of a limited range of cups and bowls in 3 sizes.
REPLICABILITY & FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
The perspectives of evolution around this project are numerous.
- Increase the container return rate to 95% as well as the speed of returns.
- Implementation of a digital set-point system, in test status for the moment.
If the container is returned within 7 days after purchase, the customer does not pay a deposit. Beyond 7 days, the customer pays and the deposit increases with the time of return.
In addition to this system, the implementation of a digital traceability system makes it possible to accurately track the number of containers used by the restaurateur/user, which can allow the implementation of a loyalty system.
- Development of an application to count the stores … (for the moment via the website)
- Development of Milubo’s own container in terms of color and design: uses for the moment the desgin of the manufacturers.
- Develop a collection system in flow areas, particularly in stations. Containers are then emptied and cleaned twice a day. The trial was to take place in November but was postponed to February/March 2021 due to the health crisis.
- Questioning around Deliveroo, Uber Eats) on how to recover containers.
Copyright CirculAgronomie 2020