Uzaje

Uzaje, established in 2019 as SolZero by founder Emmanuel Auberger, is a key player in the circular economy, providing industrial solutions for reusable packaging. Auberger, with over two decades of experience in the packaging industry at Saint-Gobain, founded the company to address the environmental impact of single-use packaging in the food sector. Uzaje rebranded in 2020 to better reflect its mission of making reuse a viable alternative.

The company operates on a business-to-business model, offering a comprehensive service for the reuse of food containers. Its revenue is generated from three main streams: the sale of reusable containers, consulting services to help clients transition to reuse models, and the industrial washing of these containers. Uzaje's clients span various sectors, including commercial and collective catering (schools, corporate restaurants, health sector), food and beverage manufacturers, and retailers. By offering an outsourced and shared washing infrastructure, Uzaje enables businesses of all sizes to adopt reusable packaging without the significant capital investment in their own cleaning facilities.

The core of Uzaje's service is its network of industrial washing centers, which are designed to be highly efficient in terms of water, energy, and detergent consumption. The company has opened centers in Neuilly-sur-Marne (2021), Avignon (2022), and is planning a new, larger facility in Strasbourg to serve the French, German, Swiss, and Luxembourg markets. These centers are capable of cleaning various types of containers, such as glass bottles and stainless steel trays, adhering to high hygiene standards with ISO 22000 and ISO 9001 certifications. The service includes logistics, such as collecting used packaging and delivering clean containers.

Uzaje has demonstrated significant growth and impact, having cleaned nearly 3.5 million containers by late 2023, which prevented 250 tons of single-use packaging waste. The company is recognized as a Social and Solidarity Economy (ESS) enterprise and holds B Corp and Solar Impulse Foundation labels, reflecting its commitment to social and environmental goals. This includes creating local jobs, with a focus on professional reintegration programs. The company has successfully raised capital to fuel its expansion, securing €4 million in January 2022, followed by an €11 million funding round in November 2023 from a combination of historical investors like Banque des Territoires, new funds, and a crowdfunding campaign.

Keywords: reusable packaging solutions, industrial container washing, circular economy, food service packaging, B2B environmental services, sustainable packaging, waste reduction, outsourced cleaning services, social and solidarity economy, Emmanuel Auberger, food container reuse, packaging logistics, restaurant supply chain, supermarket packaging solutions, ESG investing, impact enterprise, agrifood tech, industrial ecology, container sanitation, cleantech