ClubZer0

CLUBZERØ makes it easy to use reusable cups. Its cups are designed to be attractive and user-friendly, and to keep contents hotter for longer periods of time. The cups are also ecologically mindful: made from recyclable food-grade Polypropylene and LDPE, and with a lifetime of 250-1,000 uses, CLUBZERØ cups are better for the environment than single-use disposable cups by a longshot.

CLUBZERØ is a returnable packaging service for hot and cold drinks that utilizes technology to provide complete supply chain traceability, helping retailers reduce single-use plastic packaging through trackable products and an in-built loyalty scheme.

CLUBZERØ tailors its service to meet the needs of its customers. In partnership with retailers, brands, catering companies, and facilities management, CLUBZERØ provides reusable cups to cafes, restaurants, self-serve stations, and drink vending machines with the ultimate goal of zero-waste. It also provides services for festivals and is developing city-wide solutions for 2020.

CLUBZERØ and CLUBZERØ partner operators provide collection, tracking, washing, and delivery to all CLUBZERØ users for a fee of $.25 and up per serviced drink on a 24-month contract, and its service is free and streamlined for cup users.

All CLUBZERØ products are BPA-free, food-grade, and FDA-approved. The CLUBZERØ cup is made from 70% virgin material stock and 30% recycled material stock food-grade Polypropylene (PP). The CLUBZERØ lid is made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Both cup and lid can withstand temperatures over 100 degrees Celsius, contain an RFID tag for easy tracking, and have a lifetime of 250-1,000 uses before needing to be recycled. Cups are stackable and work for both hot and cold drinks. Cup lids do not currently have a place to put a straw, but CLUBZERØ is willing to integrate this.

CLUBZERØ chose LDPE and PP plastics for its products based on the results of a comparative evaluation of material performance, user experience, transport, maintenance, lifetime reuse, cost, and recoverability of steel, aluminum, hemp, bamboo, bio-plastics, ceramics, glass, and oil-based plastics. Both PP and LDPE are fully recoverable and have a high resource value for end-of-life recycling.

CLUBZERØ cup cases are made from Polypropylene and can be used up to 4,000 times. The cups also contain an embedded RFID tag for easy tracking. Cases come in two sizes: one for 84 cups and 28 lids and the other for 84 cups and 84 lids.

Life Cycle Assessment here.

All CLUBZERØ cups, lids, and cases are integrated with RFID tags so that they can be traced through their entire journey. To check out a cup, a consumer must sign up for the free CLUBZERØ platform. They can then take CLUBZERØ products from the point of sale and return them to any CLUBZERØ case or pick-up bin located at a network of drop-off locations.

The pickup and drop-off of cups are managed by CLUBZERØ or CLUBZERØ partner operators. Every time CLUBZERØ picks up used units, they schedule a drop-off of fresh cups at the same time. Collection and drop off are done by truck, ideally in hybrid vehicles, and are coordinated to be as eco-friendly as possible. CLUBZERØ unpacks and washes products to restaurant hospitality standards, also ensuring that the minimum amount of water is used to clean the maximum amount of units. When washing, cups are visually checked for cracks, staining, bite marks, and odors. If a cup fails this check, it is removed from circulation.

CLUBZERØ traditionally operates on a 5x stock inventory model. This model allows all customers to have a 2x stock at all times and also gives operators enough time to wash and dry all products.

CLUBZERØ is also trialing an “app-free” streamlined version of its system so that users don’t have to download an app to check out a cup. Checked-out cups will instead be linked to the customer’s payment card.

CLUBZERØ has enabled the set-up of self-serve stations next to office vending machines. It is looking into integrating the use of cups inside vending machines.