GerneOhne

GerneOhne operated as a zero-waste online supermarket based in Munich, Germany, founded in 2021 by Michael Sixl, Eduardo Castañeda, and Sergey Gladyshev. The three founders, who met through the food industry, were driven by a common goal to reduce plastic waste for future generations. Sergey Gladyshev, the CTO, brought IT expertise from his previous roles at Procter & Gamble and Abbott Laboratories.

The company's business model centered on delivering organic groceries and food products directly to consumers across Germany in a plastic-free manner. It served environmentally conscious consumers looking for a sustainable alternative to conventional online grocery shopping. Revenue was generated through the direct sale of these goods, with a business model focused on encouraging larger orders through free shipping for purchases over a certain value.

GerneOhne's core service was an e-commerce platform offering a range of dry goods like nuts, pasta, and spices, all sourced from organic producers. The defining feature was its circular packaging system; products were delivered in reusable glass jars and transport boxes. Customers could return the empty jars via mail at no extra cost, after which GerneOhne would clean and reintegrate them into the system, effectively creating a zero-waste shopping experience. The company soft-launched on July 1, 2021, initially with the founders handling all aspects of the operation themselves. Despite initial growth and a clear environmental mission, the company ceased operations and entered into bankruptcy liquidation proceedings on June 2, 2023.

Keywords: zero-waste supermarket, plastic-free groceries, sustainable e-commerce, organic food delivery, reusable packaging, circular economy, German foodtech, Munich startup, online grocery, eco-friendly shopping, sustainable consumption, food waste reduction, green logistics, bio-lebensmittel, verpackungsfrei, nachhaltigkeit, Mehrwegsystem, umweltfreundlich, Lebensmittelversand, Kreislaufwirtschaft