7-Steps for Starting a Reusable Packaging Program
If you’ve landed on this page, you’ve likely seen this project’s reports and find yourself interested enough to pursue starting your own reusable packaging system. If you find yourself on this page by accident, but would like to know more about reusable packaging and why it is an important waste reduction tool, please follow these links to see our reusable packaging reports and reusable models and case studies page. In contrast to our reports and case studies pages, this page serves as a guide to help you work through some of the most important considerations for starting your own reusable packaging system.
Step 1 – Determine your goals and business capacities.
This step is important in determining precursor for understand what models of reuse will work best with your business. When thinking about your business, consider asking yourself the following aspects:
- Why do you want to start a reusable packaging system? Is reusable packaging the best way to achieve those goals?
- Can my business handle the expense of starting a new system? Reuse models are often less expensive in the long run, but it is good to know what your businesses capacity to absorb short-term costs is.
- How much take-out packaging does my business currently use?
- What is my businesses capacity to wash reusable take-out packaging? There are currently no third-party services in Maine, which means that you business will have to wash any used packages that are returned to your location. Can your business handle this influx?
- Am I willing to work with other restaurants? Do I have business neighbors that I could work with? Would they be willing to work together to create a larger system?
- Who’s visiting my business? Are they repeat customers? How often do they visit my establishment? Would they be interested in reusable packaging? What incentives do my customers respond to? What customers am I trying to attract?
Step 2 – Review the reuse models and decide which system fits your business best
Once you’ve determined what your businesses goals and capacities are, it is a good idea to review the reuse models. When looking through the models, ask yourself a few questions:
- Does this model or features of this model fit with my business’s goals?
- Would this interest my customers?
- Can I afford the startup costs (if there are any)?
- Is this type of model available in my area? If not, can I start my own?
- What are the pros and cons of starting this model?
- Do I have the staffing capacity to run this model effectively?
- Are there features of this model that would work? Can I custom design my own system using those features?
Step 3 – Finalize how your reusable packaging system will work.
Now that you’ve gone through step 1 and 2, you should have a good idea of what reusable systems could work for your customer base and business operations. Now is the time to fine tune how your system will work. Consider talking over your plan with people you trust to receive feedback. It is often helpful to run ideas past the managers, staff, and customers who are most likely to be affected. Getting input from others will likely help you answer the following questions which will help you create a more robust reusable system.
- How will customers participate in the system?
- What training do I need to provide my staff?
- How will I market this program to customers?
- How and where will customers return used packaging? How will that packaging be stored? When will it be cleaned? Who is it cleaned by? How do I keep my kitchen, customers, and staff safe?
- Will I be using incentives? What are they?
- If you are working with other businesses, how will you coordinate your services?
- What will the flow of packaging be? What happens if I run out of packaging?
- Is it convenient for customers?
- What are the costs involved? Who is covering those costs? Are they willing and able to cover those costs?
Step 4 – Apply for a variance
Currently, restaurants wishing to start a reusable packaging system in Maine need to file a variance through the Maine Health Inspection Program. Once you have a good idea of how your system will work, you will need to reach out to your organizations Health Inspection Officer to discuss how to apply for this variance. They will help you work through the application process.
Step 5 – Choose a Packaging Provider
Visit our reusable resources page to view the most popular reusable packaging providers. While this list includes the biggest distributors of reusable packaging, it is important to note that many manufacturers are willing to work with customers to come up with custom designs. This is especially true for metal or stainless-steel containers. Also consider reaching out to one of the businesses on our reusable packaging map, they will often have good suggestions and insight into what containers work best.
Step 6 – Prepare a marketing strategy
Good communication is key to a successful reuse system. Generally speaking, customers focus hardest on the following three factors:
- Value: First and foremost, customers seek a good value, but this doesn’t just mean they will choose the product with the cheapest price tag. Customers may be willing to pay more for products and services that they associate with an intrinsic value. Using your marketing to help communicate the monetary and non-monetary value of reusable packaging is a big priority in marketing strategies
- Health: Especially in the food service industry, customers are worried about the health of their food and how this affects them. As more research comes out about the health effects of PFAS and their presence in many packaging materials, the case has been growing to use reusable packages to avoid these harmful chemicals.
- Fringe Benefits: Customers are also interested in the fringe benefits of the products they are buying. Feel free to use the reports contained in this resource guide to spread the word of how reusable packaging can help Maine achieve its waste reduction goals, prevent PFAS buildup in commercial compost facilities, and work towards an economy that preserves the labor, money, and raw materials that go into our packaging.
Step 7 – Start your program!
Now that you’ve identified all the pieces, it’s time to start your reusable packaging program! This may be a good point to involve your local Chamber of Commerce, municipal government, or sustainability non-profit as they may be able to help you identify potential sources of funding to start your program. At the very least, these organizations will likely be interested in what you are doing and would be willing to help you spread the word about your new reusable packaging program.
While this guide makes it sound very easy, understand that starting your own reusable packaging program will take time, effort, and money. Though the payoff will likely be its own reward, don’t feel like you have to travel this road alone. If you have questions, would like to discuss the particulars of your program, or would like help connecting with resources or other interested restaurants, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the project leads:
You can reach Jared Entwistle at jared.entwistle@maine.edu and Cynthia Isenhour at Cynthia.isenhour@maine.edu