Vevey VD/Jakarta – Nestlé is testing refillable vending machines in Indonesia together with the start-up Qyos by Algramo. Over a period of four to six months, Nestlé wants to find out how the need for disposable packaging can be reduced. Buyers can bring their own containers.
Vevey, Switzerland-based food giant Nestlé is testing refillable vending machines at two local retailers in Indonesia. To this end, Nestlé is working with the Indonesian start-up Qyos by Algramo, based in Jakarta. Nestlé plans to explore new solutions that help reduce the need for single-use packaging during a four- to six-month trial period, according to a media release.
Qyos machines are filled with Koko Krunch breakfast cereals and Milo powdered beverages. Consumers can bring their own containers as well as purchase provided containers. They receive product information such as ingredients, nutritional values and shelf life digitally via a QR code.
During development, Nestlé and Qyos experts had to ensure that the machines maintained product safety and freshness throughout the supply chain, while taking into account local conditions such as Indonesia’s hot and humid climate. In 2021, Nestlé was already piloting reusable and refillable containers for its Milo, Dancow and Koko Krunch products in South Jakarta.
“This second pilot for Milo and Koko Krunch will allow us to gain new insights that can be applied to our products,” Gaelle de Mestral, head of packaging research and development at Nestlé, is quoted as saying.
According to the Qyos website, Indonesia is the second largest plastic producer in the world. The huge amounts of plastic waste pose a high risk of side effects on health, water and air pollution, flooding and economic losses to the country. ko
