Cazoolo and Ifood sign a partnership and develop returnable packaging

Cazoolo, Braskem's circular packaging design lab, announces a strategic partnership with iFood, a Brazilian reference technology company in Delivery Online, for the development of returnable packaging. The initiative sought to reduce the disposal of waste in delivery and encourage conscious consumption, without neglecting the consumer experience. The project aimed to validate the packaging with a group of restaurants and consumers, in order to reach the pilot's planning phase in the future.

Fabio Sant’Ana, responsible for market development and new business at Cazoolo, emphasizes that the project has great potential to positively impact the delivery market. And that's because everything was developed with a user-centered design vision, seeking to deliver excellence in the operation of the restaurant, in the consumption of food and in the return of the packaging. “ The development of returnable packaging represents a significant step towards sustainability in practice. We are constantly looking to promote the circular design of packaging, improve waste management and minimize the impact at all stages of the chain”, he says.

The project was required to be the packaging easy to recycle in the post-consumption chain, not leak during transport and have easy cleaning to enable new cycles of use and high efficiency (both in the restaurant's operation and in the logistics of shipping and return for reuse). “We researched all the requirements of a returnable packaging and the biggest pains of delivery to create an ideal model. Then, we ran the Circular Design Sprint – Cazoolo program focused on accelerating circular projects to create, prototype and refine the project until we have the ideal solution, always in a short time. With the project completed, it was time to take the perception of restaurants and consumers, and we had very positive responses”, comments Sant'Ana.

Test with restaurants and consumers

The representatives of Cazoolo and iFood carried out a survey with restaurant owners and consumers to develop the design of the returnable packaging. Information on the operation of deliveries and the ideas for a packaging, until its consumption, post-consumption and visuals were evaluated by the team for the development of the solution. “This was a fundamental process in our journey. We were able to identify the most sensitive points and understand how far the consumer would be willing to change their standard journey, with disposable packaging, for one with returnable packaging, in favor of a delivery with less waste”, adds Sant'Ana.

The results achieved fully met iFood's expectations. “ The concern with the packaging delivered to consumers has always been present in our business. To achieve our sustainability goals, we seek innovative partners and work side by side with Cazoolo      represented an advance towards the most sustainable solutions”, says Fabiane Staschower, senior sustainability coordinator at IFood.