Jokey SE invests in Munich-based reusable start-up Relevo
The Jokey Group’s sustainable packaging division is being further expanded in Germany with the strategic investment in the digital, deposit-free reusable system Relevo.
Wipperfürth/Munich, 4 October 2023 | Jokey SE is investing in Relevo GmbH. The Munich-based start-up was founded in 2020 and offers a digital, deposit-free reusable system for restaurants, cafés, system and company catering, as well as caterers and canteens. The Relevo reusable system already has more than 3,500 partner locations and is available in over 800 German cities.
“Our investment in Relevo is an important step in further expanding the market position of our subsidiary brand KeepIn for sustainable reusable packaging in Germany,” says Christof Kölschbach, CSO of the Jokey Group. The Jokey Group is actively driving the development of reusable packaging and established KeepIn, its own reusable packaging division, at the beginning of 2023. All KeepIn products, such as bowls, trays and beverage cups, are made in Germany and from 100 per cent recyclable plastic. “We are very pleased to have Jokey Group on board as an investor in Relevo,” says Gregor Kolb, founder and managing director of Relevo GmbH. “Jokey is a family-owned company and a well-known manufacturer of food and non-food packaging in Europe. Jokey’s sustainable approach and pioneering role in the circular economy of packaging convinced us. In addition, our partner restaurants benefit from the Jokey Group’s high-quality, sustainable and durable reusable packaging,” Kolb continued.
The Jokey Group has been cooperating with other reusable systems for quite some time, such as the Danish deposit system New Loop and the Spanish reusable system Bumerang. “With our investments, we want to further promote sustainable reusable solutions in Germany and Europe and be part of the big picture. We see Relevo as an innovative reusable solution that can be easily and practically implemented by both restaurants and consumers thanks to its digital, deposit-free concept,” explains Ramona Lob, head of the KeepIn business unit. Consumers can borrow and return the Relevo reusable packaging free of charge and without cash. The packaging is simply scanned with a smartphone camera. The system recognises the QR code on the packaging and automatically books it to the user profile. If the customer later returns the packaging to one of the partner catering establishments, they scan the QR code at the return location with their smartphone and the process is complete. Relevo partner restaurants meet the requirement to offer reusable packaging and pay on a pay-per-use model for rentals made, without having to enter into long-term binding contracts.
As a packaging manufacturer, Jokey is continuously working to optimise the recyclable design of its packaging and to develop new reusable solutions. As part of its sustainability goals outlined in its GRI report, the Jokey Group aims to generate a significant share of its total sales from reusable packaging by 2030.
