The program aims to develop, implement and track the impacts of a reusable packaging system for retail food products produced by local companies
Bold Reuse, the innovative leader in reusable packaging solutions, proudly announces the launch of Retail Reuse—a groundbreaking retail reusable packaging program for glass retail packaging. With the backing of Metro, New Seasons Market, Waste-Free Advocates, and PNW Packaged Food & Beverage Group's very own Hannah Kullberg, Retail Reuse represents a significant step forward for the environment and the economy.
Thanks to an $87,000 Investment and Innovation Grant from Metro in 2022, Bold Reuse has developed a closed-loop reuse model for glass bottles and jars that are commonly used by food manufacturers to package their products. The pilot program will operate until early 2024 and aims to provide substantial environmental and economic benefits to project stakeholders and the community at large by reducing emissions and costs associated with recycling and landfilling.
Jocelyn Quarrell, CEO of Bold Reuse, expressed her excitement, stating, "We are honored to work alongside this group of trailblazers to establish a first-of-its-kind retail reuse program using existing shelf-stable product packaging. Our objective is to create a scalable system that food manufacturers and retailers can access effortlessly as we expand our services nationwide."
Bold Reuse is currently supported at all 19 New Seasons Market stores in Oregon and SW Washington. Throughout the four years of its current partnership, the two organizations have together facilitated more than 76,000 reuse cycles.
“One of our most important sustainable packaging strategies is developing systems that allow our customers to have a lighter environmental footprint when they shop with us,” said Athena Petty, Senior Manager of Sustainability at New Seasons Market. “Through this unique partnership—and with the support of Metro—this reuse project will help us build the infrastructure to do just that.”
The partnership aims to develop, implement, and track the impacts of reusable packaging for retail food products produced by local companies in the Portland metropolitan area. The program will launch at all New Seasons Market locations, and customers will be able to purchase products from participating vendors as they normally would. Once customers have finished the product, they can return and drop used packaging in the Bold Reuse drop box at all New Seasons Markets. Bold Reuse collects, washes, and sanitizes the containers, then distributes the packaging back to vendors.
“The cost of glass packaging has hit an all time high. This is forcing manufacturers to move to less sustainable options like pouches and plastic. We need to develop a new system of reuse to allow makers to continue using the highest quality packaging for their products,” explained Hannah Kullberg from PNW Food & Beverage regarding the importance of offering reusable packaging.
Many makers in the food and beverage community currently offer glass return programs, which creates a great time burden to their businesses. Some businesses accept glass returns, but they stack up waiting to be washed. Other businesses turn away customers with glass to return because they lack the capacity or proper sanitizing system. This program will offer ease, finally making glass return a possibility on a large scale.
“We are excited to join Bold Reuse and local partners in piloting this new circular model. Waste-Free Advocates has built a large network of zero waste enthusiasts and we look forward to initiating an awareness campaign within our community to increase adoption, so that this model can be replicated beyond the Portland Metro,” shared Waste-Free Advocates President Brittany Wendell, expressing her excitement surrounding the program.
Visionary vendors participating in this program are Ground Up Nut Butter, Hot Mama Salsa, Sauvie Shrubs, Mickelberry Gardens and Sibeiho. Customers will be able to enjoy their favorite products and return the packaging to be reused again and again. As the program gains momentum, more vendors will have the opportunity to onboard.
Bold Reuse is at the forefront of creating innovative, sustainable solutions for the packaging industry, and Retail Reuse is yet another step towards a greener future.
About Bold Reuse
Bold Reuse supports companies incorporating reusable packaging into their business operations to reduce their waste footprint while expanding brand awareness and customer loyalty. New Seasons Market, Loop, Starbucks, Imperfect Foods, and the Portland Trail Blazers have partnered with Bold Reuse to help implement and scale reuse systems into their organizations. Recognized as a leader in the reuse industry, Bold Reuse received the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network 2022 Early Stage Entrepreneurs Award. Bold Reuse has helped customers divert nearly 2.5 million pounds of waste from the landfill. For more information, visit https://www.boldreuse.com.
About New Seasons Market
New Seasons Market is a friendly neighborhood grocery store that believes great-tasting, local food has the power to build community and enhance lives. From taking care of its staff, partners, neighborhoods, and the environment to growing a sustainable business, it’s doing what it loves with a commitment to cultivating a strong community centered around food. Founded in 2000 by three families and 50 friends in Portland, Ore., New Seasons Market is now a team of nearly 2,700 passionate staff across 19 stores in Oregon and Washington, serving a unique mix of locally sourced and organic items, as well as classic grocery favorites and chef-made grab-and-go meal solutions. New Seasons Market is proud of its progressive values—from offering industry-leading compensation and benefits to committing 10 percent of its after-tax profits to the communities it serves. For more information, visit newseasonsmarket.com.
About Waste-Free Advocates
Waste-Free Advocates (WFA) was formed in 1987. Originally named Recycling Advocates, the organization advocated and provided educational resources for curbside recycling in its early stages. Since then, WFA has helped ban plastic bags in Portland and has fostered a stronger “Bring Your Own Cup” culture in cafes across the Portland Metro. Over the decades, the organization has shifted focus to the top of the waste hierarchy, choosing to promote waste prevention and reuse and refill options above recycling. Through its large network of zero waste advocates, WFA brings together and advances community action. Learn more at https://wastefreeadvocates.org.
About PNW F&B
Pacific NorthWest Packaged Food & Beverage Group is a resource sharing network for food business founders & leaders in the NorthWest. We come to the group to learn from each other, share resources & collaborate. Together we are building vibrant businesses and a resilient, regenerative, regional food system. https://www.hannahkathrynkullberg.com/pnwfoodandbeverage.
About Metro
Metro is the regional government for the Portland metropolitan area in Oregon, serving 1.8 million residents in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. As a voter-approved charter, Metro is dedicated to providing essential services and convening community partners to address the most pressing issues facing the region. Its mission is to help people and nature thrive in a vibrant region. Metro’s responsibilities include managing the region’s garbage and recycling system, protecting water quality and habitat, and planning for a resilient, equitable, and sustainable future. In addition, Metro operates the Oregon Zoo, the Oregon Convention Center, and the Portland Expo Center. For more information, visit www.oregonmetro.gov.
Media Contact
Kelsey Azoubel Mitchell
Customer Success Manager - Bold Reuse
kelsey@boldreuse.com
Bold Reuse, the innovative leader in reusable packaging solutions, proudly announces the launch of Retail Reuse—a groundbreaking retail reusable packaging program for glass retail packaging. With the backing of Metro, New Seasons Market, Waste-Free Advocates, and PNW Packaged Food & Beverage Group's very own Hannah Kullberg, Retail Reuse represents a significant step forward for the environment and the economy.
Thanks to an $87,000 Investment and Innovation Grant from Metro in 2022, Bold Reuse has developed a closed-loop reuse model for glass bottles and jars that are commonly used by food manufacturers to package their products. The pilot program will operate until early 2024 and aims to provide substantial environmental and economic benefits to project stakeholders and the community at large by reducing emissions and costs associated with recycling and landfilling.
Jocelyn Quarrell, CEO of Bold Reuse, expressed her excitement, stating, "We are honored to work alongside this group of trailblazers to establish a first-of-its-kind retail reuse program using existing shelf-stable product packaging. Our objective is to create a scalable system that food manufacturers and retailers can access effortlessly as we expand our services nationwide."
Bold Reuse is currently supported at all 19 New Seasons Market stores in Oregon and SW Washington. Throughout the four years of its current partnership, the two organizations have together facilitated more than 76,000 reuse cycles.
“One of our most important sustainable packaging strategies is developing systems that allow our customers to have a lighter environmental footprint when they shop with us,” said Athena Petty, Senior Manager of Sustainability at New Seasons Market. “Through this unique partnership—and with the support of Metro—this reuse project will help us build the infrastructure to do just that.”
The partnership aims to develop, implement, and track the impacts of reusable packaging for retail food products produced by local companies in the Portland metropolitan area. The program will launch at all New Seasons Market locations, and customers will be able to purchase products from participating vendors as they normally would. Once customers have finished the product, they can return and drop used packaging in the Bold Reuse drop box at all New Seasons Markets. Bold Reuse collects, washes, and sanitizes the containers, then distributes the packaging back to vendors.
“The cost of glass packaging has hit an all time high. This is forcing manufacturers to move to less sustainable options like pouches and plastic. We need to develop a new system of reuse to allow makers to continue using the highest quality packaging for their products,” explained Hannah Kullberg from PNW Food & Beverage regarding the importance of offering reusable packaging.
Many makers in the food and beverage community currently offer glass return programs, which creates a great time burden to their businesses. Some businesses accept glass returns, but they stack up waiting to be washed. Other businesses turn away customers with glass to return because they lack the capacity or proper sanitizing system. This program will offer ease, finally making glass return a possibility on a large scale.
“We are excited to join Bold Reuse and local partners in piloting this new circular model. Waste-Free Advocates has built a large network of zero waste enthusiasts and we look forward to initiating an awareness campaign within our community to increase adoption, so that this model can be replicated beyond the Portland Metro,” shared Waste-Free Advocates President Brittany Wendell, expressing her excitement surrounding the program.
Visionary vendors participating in this program are Ground Up Nut Butter, Hot Mama Salsa, Sauvie Shrubs, Mickelberry Gardens and Sibeiho. Customers will be able to enjoy their favorite products and return the packaging to be reused again and again. As the program gains momentum, more vendors will have the opportunity to onboard.
Bold Reuse is at the forefront of creating innovative, sustainable solutions for the packaging industry, and Retail Reuse is yet another step towards a greener future.
About Bold Reuse
Bold Reuse supports companies incorporating reusable packaging into their business operations to reduce their waste footprint while expanding brand awareness and customer loyalty. New Seasons Market, Loop, Starbucks, Imperfect Foods, and the Portland Trail Blazers have partnered with Bold Reuse to help implement and scale reuse systems into their organizations. Recognized as a leader in the reuse industry, Bold Reuse received the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network 2022 Early Stage Entrepreneurs Award. Bold Reuse has helped customers divert nearly 2.5 million pounds of waste from the landfill. For more information, visit https://www.boldreuse.com.
About New Seasons Market
New Seasons Market is a friendly neighborhood grocery store that believes great-tasting, local food has the power to build community and enhance lives. From taking care of its staff, partners, neighborhoods, and the environment to growing a sustainable business, it’s doing what it loves with a commitment to cultivating a strong community centered around food. Founded in 2000 by three families and 50 friends in Portland, Ore., New Seasons Market is now a team of nearly 2,700 passionate staff across 19 stores in Oregon and Washington, serving a unique mix of locally sourced and organic items, as well as classic grocery favorites and chef-made grab-and-go meal solutions. New Seasons Market is proud of its progressive values—from offering industry-leading compensation and benefits to committing 10 percent of its after-tax profits to the communities it serves. For more information, visit newseasonsmarket.com.
About Waste-Free Advocates
Waste-Free Advocates (WFA) was formed in 1987. Originally named Recycling Advocates, the organization advocated and provided educational resources for curbside recycling in its early stages. Since then, WFA has helped ban plastic bags in Portland and has fostered a stronger “Bring Your Own Cup” culture in cafes across the Portland Metro. Over the decades, the organization has shifted focus to the top of the waste hierarchy, choosing to promote waste prevention and reuse and refill options above recycling. Through its large network of zero waste advocates, WFA brings together and advances community action. Learn more at https://wastefreeadvocates.org.
About PNW F&B
Pacific NorthWest Packaged Food & Beverage Group is a resource sharing network for food business founders & leaders in the NorthWest. We come to the group to learn from each other, share resources & collaborate. Together we are building vibrant businesses and a resilient, regenerative, regional food system. https://www.hannahkathrynkullberg.com/pnwfoodandbeverage.
About Metro
Metro is the regional government for the Portland metropolitan area in Oregon, serving 1.8 million residents in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. As a voter-approved charter, Metro is dedicated to providing essential services and convening community partners to address the most pressing issues facing the region. Its mission is to help people and nature thrive in a vibrant region. Metro’s responsibilities include managing the region’s garbage and recycling system, protecting water quality and habitat, and planning for a resilient, equitable, and sustainable future. In addition, Metro operates the Oregon Zoo, the Oregon Convention Center, and the Portland Expo Center. For more information, visit www.oregonmetro.gov.
Media Contact
Kelsey Azoubel Mitchell
Customer Success Manager - Bold Reuse
kelsey@boldreuse.com
