I have been a passionate supporter of YOYO for a while now. Their commitment to providing the highest quality, ethically sourced produce makes them a perfect partner for refill packaging.
As the company expanded, it became clear that their incumbent packaging solution was not working for them. Mitch reached out to ARNE.STUDIO to help find a new solution that would simplify filling, extend shelf life, increase reuse, and eliminate costly processing of returned packs.
YOYO was already using a flexible packaging solution, which is key to the business’s success, as flexible packs avoid the need for dedicated, inefficient reverse logistics solutions by enabling consumers to return the empty packs using existing postage infrastructure.
ARNE.STUDIO considered a range of existing and customised material and bag production solutions from suppliers across the globe. As is commonly found in such projects, we were looking for a solution that could withstand multiple cycles while offering the same cost benefits for filling and production as existing single-use solutions. Reuse solutions are often found at the intersection of traditional product and packaging technologies. We designed, developed, and tested custom solutions from both traditional and non-traditional materials and production formats, with varying degrees of success. It’s easy to find a robust solution for reuse if you can afford a high unit cost, but finding a low cost, long-lifespan solution that meets the needs of a company that is not yet fully automated, is a complex task.
After testing samples from the medical industry to outdoor sports and entertainment, we worked with a UK supplier to produce a unique design of block-bottom PE bag with seams welded to eliminate product hang-ups, simplifying our secondary cleaning operations. This is the first time our supply partner had produced this design of bag in combination with our material and dimensional specifications.
The solution is stronger, easier to process, easier to seal, and provides the opportunity to fill larger batches due to increased shelf life. YOYO has an impressive return rate, but the reality of reuse is that some packs will not be returned. For these packs, and for packs that have reached the end of their life once returned, the new packaging format is a mono-material solution that can be recycled with existing flexible packaging formats at the end of its life.
In combination with this, we use an inline digital printing solution, allowing us to print dynamic product information, including a 2D QR code, onto the tag used to seal the bag.
Mitch has created a fantastic write-up of the project and the environmental benefits of moving to the new solution here: https://yoyogrocery.co/pages/packaging
This solution is a great fit for the current scale of the business, but this is not the end of the packaging pipeline. As YOYO continues to grow, we are looking at further enhancements unlocked by investment in packing line automation and optimised cleaning solutions, which will support further expansion.