‘Cool has never been so cool'

Recyclable one-way cool packs and distribution boxes that are 100% sustainable, 100% food-grade and 100% temperature-controlled – the increase in online food sales is creating high demand for such products. The new company Recycold has an innovative solution. 

Recycold® is focused on innovative one-way packaging solutions for temperature-controlled last-mile distribution chains for food, agriculture and pharma. Jan Vorstermans, Business Developer at Recycold, explains how it all started: “Just before the start of the Floriade horticultural event in 2012, Marwin Dekkers (Vershuys.com), Jelbert Oost (Bubento) and I were looking at how we could create crossovers between high-tech and agri. During the Floriade a catering company gave a presentation about coolboxes filled with crushed ice. We thought that there must be a better way: more eco-friendly, more hygienic, more food-safe and with more accurate control over the temperature.”

“The development phase involved several partners,” continues Marwin Dekkers (Sales & Marketing at Recycold). “We put all our knowledge and experience of the fresh and chilled worlds together. The result: a recyclable refrigeration solution in line with market demands, made from sustainable and food-grade materials such as cardboard and paper, developed within a long-term partnership with HAS University and Akarton.

HAS University provides Recycold with basic research and certified temperature measurements for our customers. Each product and each type of packaging reacts differently. Thanks to models that predict changes in temperature over time we can quickly calculate temperature-control issues relating to packaging and distribution. This enables us to offer players in these distribution chains tailor-made solutions. Cool has never been so cool.”

In addition to seeing opportunities in the growing online food sector and the pharma industry, the three men have also spotted chances in specific segments such as supermarkets, meal deliveries and (healthcare-related) catering. Marwin: “Everyone is looking for sustainability and hygiene in order to provide consumers with refrigerated products in a safe and above all cost-efficient manner, without having to invest in expensive temperature-controlled transport vehicles of their own. This innovation means that each and every ambient parcel network such as PostNL or ambient storage facility/locker can serve as a safe distribution or collection point for food and/or medicines. We’re seeing the continuing emergence of local, UberPop-style distribution networks (www.tringtring.nl, www.foodlogica.nl, etc.), which will also help to make the ‘last mile’ of our refrigerated parcels safe, economical and affordable.”

www.recycold.nl

Picture: Marwin Dekkers (left) and Jan Vorstermans.