What packaging does the delivery service need to ensure that the food arrives at the customer in optimal quality, warm and fresh? What do you have to pay attention to?
A thermobox/thermobag is good if the food arrives at the customer in the same condition as it was packed in the restaurant. This means that the goods must remain hot and must not re-cook. To keep the goods fresh and crispy, the bag must absorb and remove the moisture released. These high requirements must be considered in the development and design process. To manufacture our products, we use materials that provide exceptionally good insulation on the one hand and are permeable to condensation on the other. In principle, we recommend that the goods should not be transported for more than 30 minutes - however, if it should take longer, an active heating element in the customer's bag or box can provide optimal food quality.
What are the current trends in delivery and packaging?
For delivery to be as efficient as possible, delivery areas should be kept smaller. We have observed that a delivery radius of up to 3 km around the store is optimal. This is especially true in densely populated areas. E-bikes are often used in these small delivery areas. This places new demands on the packaging of the goods. In contrast to cars, particularly light, very good insulating, weatherproof and waterproof transport options are required here.
Which raw materials and processes do you rely on? What role does sustainability still play?
Our core product, the e-bike for delivery, replaces delivery by car in cities. This leads to our inner cities becoming greener and healthier. To further reduce our CO2 footprint, we manufacture - in addition to our e-bike - most of our products in Germany. By the end of 2021, we also want to produce our bags and boxes entirely from recyclable materials. To achieve this, we work closely with our suppliers and regional recycling companies. While we are building a secure supply chain for food contact materials, we will gradually increase the proportion of recycled textiles (e.g. polyester from recycled PET bottles) as the base material for our bag production.
Where do you currently see potential? What is important when it comes to packaging for take-away?
We are convinced that there is still great potential in delivery for many restaurants. For the business to be developed sustainably, the quality of the goods delivered must meet the requirements of the restaurants and their customers. The customer expects an appealing delivery experience. The food not only has to be served quickly, but also at the right temperature and fresh on the table. We would like to face this challenge together with our customers. To do this, we use the latest findings from materials research and digitization.