IDE alumnus Jouri Schoemaker and co-founder Martijn Bijmolt started Pieter Pot in 2019. Their grocery delivery service delivers products to consumers in reusable packaging. They buy in bulk directly from their suppliers to reduce waste.
The company is focusing on sustainable groceries but also aims to change the whole food industry’s packaging system. They want to work with big A-brands that are able to offer their products in a new way.
Circular packaging
Circular packaging is a set of principles that promote the use of commercial packaging materials that are reusable, recyclable, and/or compostable. It aims to reduce waste and protect the environment. For example, eco shopping bags are a sustainable alternative to plastic ones, and plant-based food containers are replacing single-use ones.
One of the strongest cost drivers towards circularity is that recycled materials are generally cheaper than virgin alternatives. This holds true for paper and paperboard, glass, and metals. The price advantage is due to high levels of PCR (post-consumer raw material) and low reprocessing costs.
The Dutch startup Pieter Pot offers a zero-waste supermarket with products delivered in reusable jars. Empty jars are returned and washed, which eliminates a large amount of disposable plastic packaging. The company’s focus on sustainability and reducing waste is helping it stand out in the crowded market for online grocery delivery. Its approach is also resonating with consumers, who are increasingly looking for eco-friendly options.
Zero waste
The Dutch startup Pieter Pot is proving that sustainability can be sexy and easy. The company offers its customers jars and bottles for food delivery that can be used multiple times. This is a major advantage over disposable packaging that has to be thrown away after one use. The startup also claims that its reusable packaging has a lower CO2 footprint than alternative, recyclable packaging.
The company was founded by Jouri Schoemaker and Martijn Bijmolt and is based in Rotterdam. Its mission is to be the largest online supermarket that delivers products in reusable packaging. Its reusable jars are filled by social workplaces or small local producers and then delivered to consumers online.
The company has already saved 121,318 single-use containers in its first year of operation. In the future, it hopes to save even more. In addition to reducing waste, it is trying to minimize consumption and optimize product design. Its goal is to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where discarded materials become resources for others to reuse.
Customer satisfaction
A Dutch startup called Pieter Pot is taking a fresh approach to grocery delivery, using reusable glass pots. Customers sign up online, and when they make it to the top of the waiting list, their orders are delivered by PostNL along with one or more of these pots. The average European produces 30kg of plastic each year, two-thirds of which comes from packaged food.
Founded by Jouri Schoemaker and Martijn Bijmolt, the Rotterdam-based company is an online supermarket that delivers packaging-free groceries. Its website allows consumers to order their daily needs through a secure system that uses deposit and return jars. The company launched in 2019 and is now a leading player in the zero-waste supermarket sector.
The startup has partnered with FMCGs to offer products such as ketchup and mayonnaise in jars, and hopes to eventually deliver an end-to-end circular grocery experience. Jouri Schoemaker is an IDE alumnus who studied the Strategic Product Design MSc programme in 2019. He has recently raised EUR9 million in funding for his sustainable grocery delivery business.