Waste-free meals will soon be on the menu at the local Farm Boy grocery store, thanks to a partnership with growing Guelph-based start-up Friendlier.
Beginning Aug. 19, Friendlier reusable containers will be offered at the store's salad and hot bars with ready-to-eat meals.
"We are super excited to offer this for folks who are coming in to get their lunches or dinners," said Jacquie Hutchings, co-founder at Friendlier.
"When we first started, it was COVID times, and it was an uphill battle trying to convince people that reuse is really the best packaging solution."
Since then, Hutchings said the world has shifted so much that people want to know more about reuse options.
"And now we have big brands like Farm Boy that realize that they need to make a change and they are excited to implement this fully sustainable circular packaging solution," she said.
Friendlier is dedicated to simplifying the switch from single-use to reusable packaging. The goal is to drive positive environmental impact while also offering convenience and cost savings.
The company was founded in 2019 by Kayli Dale and Jacqueline Hutchings, chemical engineering graduates from the University of Waterloo, who developed the high-quality reusable food containers. Using an app, customers can claim deposits when returning the reusable containers, meant to make it easier for users to take away prepared food without the waste.
Customers pay a deposit at the time of purchase and receive it back when they return the containers.
"It's like any deposit return system, so folks will pay a 50 cent deposit to get the container, and then they will be reimbursed when they return it. So, they can claim it using the Friendlier app by scanning the QR code on the product or on the Friendlier website," Hutchings said.
"We send everything through e-transfer."
To learn more about the partnership, visit here, download the Friendlier app or visit the company's website as well as social media accounts.
"Ít really is spectacular to see," Hutchings said of the partnership with Farm Boy.
"From a personal level, it is so amazing to see how much we've been able to influence people and show them that reuse is something that everyone should take seriously."
