This is one of a series of profiles of CFIN members that have successfully applied for and received funding through CFIN’s Innovation Booster program.
Toronto, ON-based Suppli is making it easy for food vendors to swap in high-quality reusable food containers for their single-use containers in a way that drives additional revenue for those food vendors. Suppli leverages technology to offer its reusable takeout container service across online food channels, currently in takeout and corporate catering, but with applicability across groceries, meal kits, and beyond. Suppli’s unique end-to-end solution allows consumers to order through order.mysuppli.ca, and for restaurants to receive and process the order in the same way they’re used to with other ordering platforms. Once used containers are returned to any of Suppli’s drop-off bins (located in restaurants, in mission-aligned grocers and coffee shops, and outdoor on private properties for 24/7 access), Suppli runs a daily route to restock restaurants with clean containers and pick up used containers to be centrally cleaned through a commercial dishwashing facility. Supply received $100,000 in funding to build circularity into food packaging through an innovative technology platform.
CFIN sat down with Suppli founder and CEO Megan Takeda-Tully to talk about the company.
Q: What is your company’s mission?
A: Suppli’s mission is to create the tech-powered backbone for reusable packaging solutions that facilitates the transition to a circular economy worldwide.
Q: Why did you apply for this funding and how will you use it?
A: Suppli will be building out the technology needed to streamline management of circular (reusable) food packaging so that our platform is scalable to other geographies, and across other packaging verticals. In order to effectively operate a reusable packaging program at scale – and with little behaviour change required by consumers and vendors – technology is needed to deliver real-time data across the user journey. This means information is passed from an ordering site to a paired inventory management system that uses this information to: account for a consumer’s container balance; account for a vendor’s container balance; and power supply chain logistics to ensure vendors are re-stocked and used containers are collected when certain thresholds are met. During the project period, Suppli will be building out the inventory management system, and integrating two pre-built food ordering sites.
Q: What excites you most about working in this area of the food industry?
A: We can make a real change in the footprint of the industry by leveraging business model innovation and building in the partnerships to grow out a solution that’s truly scalable. We’re empowering businesses and consumers to make individual changes that align with their values, and that contribute to a substantial, tangible impact. That’s very exciting for us!
Q: Please comment on the importance of public funding to help companies clear innovation hurdles and access leveraged funds.
A: Suppli is building out a completely new way of implementing a circular packaging solution, one that ditches the old deposit model and splits costs between the customer and food vendor. Developing a new market and building the technology to support our solution is one that takes time for private sector funders to get up to speed on and, most importantly, get comfortable funding. Public funding allows Suppli to de-risk our solution for private investors and demonstrate the scalability of Suppli’s offering for future support through private investment.
Q: Looking ahead, what’s on the horizon for your company?
A: We’re excited to be expanding across Toronto over the next year, growing our team on the sales, customer success and technical sides, and to get our platform (both technical and operational) in great shape with our partners to be able to expand into other Canadian cities!
Q: What are your passions or hobbies outside of work?
A: Building a start-up doesn’t afford a ton of extra time, so I try to spend most of it with my family (I have two young kids), and friends that make me smile. I’m also a big foodie and sports fan, so love anything I can do in those two realms as well.
Q: If you had to pick one person to make you a meal, who would you choose?
- A) Guy Fieri
- B) Martha Stewart
- C) Gordon Ramsey
- D) Dana McCauley
- E) Your Mom
- F) Other (if it’s other, tell us who it is!)
A: My grandmother – she was an incredible cook!
Ready to access funding for your innovative initiative? Click here to find out more about CFIN’s funding programs.
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