After registering, you will find your own QR code, the self-scan option and your delivery token for orders via third-party providers (Lieferando and Wolt) in the Vytal app under the middle, bottom button. You can use these options to borrow our reusable containers free of charge for 14 days from participating partners. The caterers scan the QR code on the Vytals and the one in your app to link you together. Meanwhile, you can also scan the Vytals yourself and show the confirmation on site. When you return it, only the QR code on the container is scanned to check it back out to you. This means that colleagues, friends and acquaintances can also return your Vytals for you.
The Vytal system is completely free of charge for customers. We are financed by the caterers who pay a small fee per filling of our Vytals. Nevertheless, they save money because the cost of disposable packaging is usually higher than our filling fee. In addition, if a Vytal is not returned to our partners within the 14-day return period, customers are automatically charged 10 euros per bowl and 4 euros per cup.
The means of payment serve on the one hand as security, since we issue the Vytals without a deposit, and on the other hand as a method of payment in case you want to use our pre-order or delivery function.
In the Vytal app you will see our partners in your area. When you place your order, please say that you would like to have your food or drink in Vytal. When you place your order, the partner restaurant will either scan the QR code on the Vytal and the one in your app, or you will scan the Vytal itself. When you order through the Vytal app, your personal code is automatically transmitted to our Partner:in so that they can already book the Vytals to your account. For orders placed with Vytal partners via delivery services, you need to copy your delivery token into the comment field.
In principle, our Vytals are not available for purchase via our app, as our system is only sustainable if the Vytals end up back in circulation as quickly as possible. However, if Vytals are not returned within the 14-day free loan period, 10 euros per bowl and 4 euros per cup will automatically be debited from your deposited payment method. The Vytal is then yours and can be used privately. A refill is no longer possible, otherwise it would become our property again.
You can select partners on the map in the Vytal app and see which containers they accept. Then just drop by, return Vytals and you're done. Only the QR code on the container is needed for the drop-off, not your personal QR code.
Please rinse your Vytals before you put them back into circulation. This will save your favorite restaurant a lot of work. Of course, all partners wash the vytals in their industrial dishwashers before handing them out, so that they are always hygienically clean when you check them out.
Using Vytal without an app is possible with our offline card. The offline card is a membership card that you can buy for a one-time fee of 10 Euros from our partners. With it you can use the system completely anonymously and without the 14-day return period. The offline card is an analog version of the app and can therefore not display all app features. Since we issue the Vytals without a deposit, the offline card can only be used to borrow two Vytals at a time. When you return them, the card is unblocked and you can borrow the next two Vytals. If no partner restaurant near you has offline cards, you are also welcome to order one at hallo@vytal.org. Please note: The offline card is a purchase card, so redemption is excluded. The ten euros serve as security (like the deposited means of payment in the app). If you do want to switch to the app, the card can be linked to the app. In this process, a credit in the form of ten Vytal credits is credited to your account.
With your Vytal delivery token, you can have your food conveniently delivered by Vytal partners, whether you order through their own website or through third-party portals (Lieferando, Wolt). Just copy your delivery token and paste it into the comment field at the end of the order. The restaurant can then link the container to your account and give it to the driver. You can find the delivery token in the app by clicking on the middle button at the bottom and then on "Deliver". For privacy and security reasons, the delivery token is only valid for six days.
You have 14 days to return our Vytal to one of our partners. You can also extend the return period by one week for one euro, if the period should not be enough for you.
You will see in the Vytal app how many more days you can rent the Vytals for free. We will also remind you via email and push notifications when you return your Vytals, if you have allowed us to send you these notifications. You can find them in the app under "Profile" (bottom right button) and "Settings".
At the end of the 14-day free return period, 10 Euros for Vytal Bowls and 4 Euros for Vytal Mugs will automatically be debited from your deposited payment method. You have then purchased the Vytals and can use them privately. However, you can return purchased containers to our partners at any time and receive half of the purchase price in the form of Vytal Credits. You can use these credits for pick-up pre-orders via the Vytal app at some of our partners or for the extension of return periods.
One Vytal Credit has the value of one Euro. Your Vytal Credit balance is displayed in your profile in the app. You will receive five or two Vytal Credits when you return a purchased bowl or cup to one of our partners. If you link an offline card to the app, you will be credited with ten Vytal Credits. The credits can be used to pre-order food from our partners via the Vytal app or to extend return periods.
If you go to "Profile" in the app (the icon at the bottom right) and then to "My Profile", there is an item called "Delete Account". Please note that a deletion cannot be undone.
You can suggest your favourite restaurants via this link and at the same time download a "love letter" that you can pass on to the restaurant: https://en.vytal.org/vytal-fuer-konsumenten
Our Vytals are all dishwasher safe, they can be washed in any standard household dishwasher and also in industrial dishwashers at very high temperatures. In addition, all Vytals are suitable for heating in the microwave, whereas the lid must NOT be placed in the microwave, as pressure can build up underneath due to heating.
Our partners are contractually obliged to wash all Vytals by machine before serving so that they are hygienically clean. The same rules apply as for washing dishes for consumption in the restaurant.
When you can no longer use a Vytal reusable container, we take it back to recycle it in a controlled way. To do this, our containers are crushed and melted down to form other products. In this way, our system remains circular and we completely avoid the creation of waste. Due to current legislation, new food containers cannot yet be made from them. We are in discussion with processing companies and will close the loop as soon as the legal situation changes.
A Vytal container can be reused up to 200 times if used properly. The most important factor is not rinsing, but how the customer treats the container. We therefore ask our customers not to cut into the containers with a knife in order to ensure the longest possible usability and thus a lot of saved disposable packaging waste. From ten fillings, they are more environmentally friendly than disposable packaging and save up to 30 kg of CO2 over the life cycle compared to disposable packaging made of Styrofoam or aluminum.
With many of our partners you can pre-order and pay via the app, so that you can pick up your food at the desired time without waiting on site or have it conveniently delivered to your home. Not all Vytal partners offer this service via our app. Partners that accept pre-orders are marked with "Pickup" and "Delivery" in the app. You can also order in our reusable packaging via delivery services. For this, you will be redirected to these third party providers within the app and just have to copy your delivery token into the comment field.
If the restaurant you ordered from has its own delivery service, you can easily give the containers to the delivery drivers. If you have ordered through a third party delivery service, this is unfortunately not possible, as the drivers do not necessarily drive back to a Vytal partner, where your Vytals can be booked out again.
To make a change to your order via the Vytal app, you can easily cancel it within the cancellation period in the app and place it again. If you have a special request, you can leave a message for the restaurant in the comments field.
We looked for suitable materials and manufacturers for a long time and then decided on polypropylene, a very high-quality plastic that is particularly easy to recycle. In addition, our bowls are more ecological than stainless steel containers and can be used in the freezer and microwave (without lid).
KoziolBowls (500, 750 and 1250 ml)
Madeof BPA-free polypropylene, lid made of thermoplastic elastomer. Made in Germany.
MepalBowls (500, 750 and 1250 ml - some still in circulation)
Madeof BPA-free polypropylene, thermoplastic elastomer lid. Made in Holland.
SplitBowl & Coffee Mug (100, 200, 300 and 400 ml)
Made of BPA-free polypropylene. Made in Czech Republic.
500ml cold beverage mug
Madeof BPA-free polypropylene. Made in Germany.
Burger& Pizza Container
Madeof BPA-free polypropylene. Made in Germany.
Sushicontainer
Madeof stainless steel (75% recycled materials) and Tritan plastic. Made in China.
Vytals with damaged or missing QR code can be returned normally to our partners. However, please send us an email so that we know where you returned the Vytal, and we will manually remove it from our books. The restaurant then only has to return the Vytal to us so that it gets a new QR code.
If the bowl or cup is completely broken, then you don't need to do anything else - the money will be automatically deducted from the payment method you deposited after the expiration of the loan period. If only the lid or the bottom part is broken, please return the bowl to one of our partners and send us an email with a photo of the damaged bowl and the information where you returned it. Then we will refund half of the purchase price.
In the beginning, we came up with the names ourselves or used well-known personalities and movie heroes or place names. In the meantime, however, we need so many names that we use a database with international first names.
Please report leaking bowls directly to our partners. They can then sort out the bowls and send them back to us.
Our customer app requires at least iOS 12.4 or Android 6.0, but preferably always the latest versions.
No, the Vytal Partner App is a stand-alone system that you can easily download from the Google Play Store / Apple Store. All you need is a cell phone or tablet with Internet access and your personal access data, which you will receive from us after signing the contract.
Customers can independently scan the QR code of the Vytals in the app and must show the confirmation at the checkout. The control is important to exclude cases of fraud.
Here you will find an overview with the weight and size of our different reusable containers. Our bowls can be stacked neatly on top of each other with lids or without lids to save space.
The Vytal reusable bowls and their lids can be cleaned very well in gastro and industrial dishwashers. For optimal cleaning results, it is important to place the bowls with the opening facing down. The lids are best either laid flat with the closure facing down and weighted down, or rinsed on end, as with plates, for example. If you don't have any rinsing facilities on site, we can offer you a rinsing service for a fee on request.
Each Vytal reusable container is marked with a QR code and can therefore be clearly assigned. This allows us to guarantee a cashless reusable packaging system between the participating system partners and the customers. Issue and return numbers, return deadlines and container cycles are thus digitally stored and verifiable. Each time a container is issued, it is scanned together with the user's individual QR code to link the customer and container in our system. Meanwhile, customers can also scan the Vytals themselves using the self-scan function. When the container is returned, only the container is scanned to record that it has been properly returned. In the customer app, you can always see transparently which container you have already borrowed and for how long, and how much packaging you have already saved.
Here you will find an overview with the weight and size of our different reusable containers. How you set the tare depends on the scale you use.
You can find an overview of our product range here: https://www.vytal.org/vytal-unsere-behalter-flotte
We explicitly advocate an open reusable packaging system for all. A circular system is most convenient for customers and allows anyone to get and return Vytal reusable containers anywhere - hence no logos. However, for large companies or closed systems, such as canteens, we offer a white label solution.
Vytals with damaged or missing QR code can be returned normally. However, please write us an email and tell us the name of the bowl. If this is no longer visible because the complete sticker is missing, the customer should contact us directly. The bowl can be returned to us at a pickup, then it will be given a new QR code.
You can reorder Vytals in the app via "Statistics" and "Order container", but of course you can also contact our partner service via hotline, mail or Whatsapp. To order a pickup is currently only possible via the partner service. Please indicate the quantity for Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, DΓΌsseldorf and Munich, so that we know how much space our drivers have to plan for. All other pickups are done via dpd - for this we would need the number of shipping boxes you pack the Vytals in and the preferred pickup day. Please note that for the sake of the environment, we will only have packages with a minimum content of 20 Vytals collected. There is a three business day turnaround time for both pickups and returns.
Log in with the access data for the partner app via our web login: https://partner.vytal.org/Account/Login - there you can change opening hours and other important information. Please also indicate here if your store is closed for a longer period of time.
In the Partner App under "Statistics" you can see how many Vytals are currently in your inventory. If this number differs from the actual stock, we offer a digital inventory function. For this, all containers must be scanned once on site and the deviations are shown. For a detailed description of the inventory, please contact your contact person or our partner service.
After you have expressed interest and signed the contract, our onboarding process starts. Here you will receive your initial equipment of containers and a training as well as training and advertising material. A follow-up training is also possible at any time and in case of questions or problems you can contact our partner service.
For some time now, we have also been offering serving and return vending machines. For the dispensers, we only provide the containers and not the food. The take-back machines or boxes are particularly suitable for canteens or offices to simplify the return process. These can then be emptied once a day and scanned all at once.
A cell phone with our partner app is required for scanning the Vytals. A private device (tablets are also possible) can be used for this or a device can be provided by us for a fee. A connection to various cash register systems (Kamasys, Ventopay) is also possible.
Leaky bowls can be returned to us with a note (Post-It or other), as you cannot always tell that bowls are leaking. We will then either assign new lids/bottoms to them or recycle them.
Our partner:inside app requires at least iOS 12.4 or Android 6.0, but preferably always the latest versions.
The possibility of restriction exists if, due to security regulations in your company, no foreign public has access to your catering facility. We can make it visible for all users in the Vytal app that your company is only available for employees. Here you will see the note: "Employees Only". Your employees can still return their Vytals to any participating store in their area.
For returns outside business hours, we have created a solution in the form of our Vytal return boxes. You can place them freely accessible on the premises, so that the Vytals can also be returned outside business hours. All your staff has to do is scan the QR codes on the next business day to complete the return process. Alternatively, we also offer a digital return vending machine, which performs the scanning process independently and books the borrowed Vytals back to the customer in the app.
We offer interfaces to various cash register systems (Kamasys, Ventopay) that enable integration.
We offer a so-called white label solution. Here you can purchase QR codes generated by us, which you attach to your own containers or containers purchased from us and provided with a logo. The booking processes are then mapped via the Vytal app.
Tim raised this question in our webinar, starting at minute 37:35. Feel free to watch the recording. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us!
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At Vytal, the proceeds of the crowdfunding will be used to invest in additional bins, build additional sales staff, and improve our product experience on the partner side. More details can be found in our investment brochure on page 46.
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Yes, capital gains tax must be paid on the annual interest, any bonus interest and also on any exit amount.
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We currently have a clear focus on Germany and neighboring European countries. To enable global expansion, we rely on a franchise model that allows us to bring our technology/brand to other continents with local franchise operators. We have written more details about this in the business development section of the investment brochure. Also, feel free to check out the webinar recording, starting at minute 45:30 Tim takes up the question.
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For our international expansion, we rely on our own subsidiaries for large markets and on our franchise model for smaller markets. In both cases, of course, we are supported by the partnerships with the major delivery platforms and system catering operations that we have successfully built up over the past 3 years.
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A resounding yes. The obligation to use reusable packaging on the part of the caterers will make reusable packaging the talk of the town. We are already noticing the increase in press coverage. Since reusable is clearly the best solution for disposable waste, both economically and ecologically, we are sure that it will become established.
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Yes in any case. We already have many grocers, organic and unpackaged stores as partners. We are very happy if you also want to offer Vytal instead of disposables.
That is the beauty of the topic of "sustainability" and especially of "reusable" in Germany. Sustainability is one of the few topics where Europe has a clear advantage over Asia and the USA. When it comes to reusable bottles, there is no country in the world that is as well enlightened (as Germany) due to the established bottle deposit system. There are a few similar business models/startups in the USA (e.g. DeliverZero), but so far they are far behind our product and sales progress.
No, to invest you "only" need to make a bank transfer to Vytal in the last investment step. Later, when Vytal has generated the Vytal Token 2022 by October 2023, you will need a blockchain wallet to dispose of the tokens. Unless you want to dispose of the tokens (e.g. to sell them), Vytal will simply transfer your interest every year and also the repayment after 5 years to your bank account. If you do not have a wallet that is compatible with the blockchain you are using, a compatible wallet will be provided by Vytal free of charge. All you need to obtain the wallet is an internet-enabled device (smartphone, computer). You can find more info about the investment process at: https://wiwin.de/fuerprivatanleger
On the morning of November 22nd, we will send you the link to the WIWIN page, where you can invest as a Vytal Crowd newsletter subscriber at your leisure from 9 am. All other interested parties will be admitted only from 12 o'clock.
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Yes, as long as your ID can be successfully verified during the Postident process (step 5 in the investment process).
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On November 22nd, the link "Invest now" will appear on the WIWIN campaign page (https://wiwin.de/produkt/vytal?utm_source=Referral&utm_medium=vytal&utm_campaign=vytal). There your investment will be registered in 8 steps to Vytal, your identity will be verified via Postident procedure and in the last step the money will be paid to Vytal by you via bank transfer.
The token will not be an NFT but a security token and the blockchain will be Ethereum, Stellar Lumens, or a similar blockchain enabling the transfer and tradability of the Vytal Tokens 2022. The blockchain used will be announced directly to the investors by a notice in text form (e.g. by email) at least one week before the generation of the Vytal Tokens 2022.
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WIWIN uses blockchains based on the proof-of-stake mechanism. These are much more energy-efficient and therefore more environmentally friendly than those based on the proof-of-work mechanism. Still, energy is needed to maintain the blockchain, that's true. In the WIWIN blog post, among others on the topic of blockchain and sustainability: https://wiwin.de/blog/blockchain-teil-4#nachhaltigkeit , WIWIN has deposited further information on this.
The blockchain used will be announced in text form (e.g. email) at least one week before the tokens are generated. If you do not have a wallet that is compatible with the blockchain used, you will be provided with a compatible wallet from Vytal free of charge. An internet-enabled device (smartphone, computer) is required to receive a wallet.
As of today, Vytal has almost no long-term debt. Due to the last financing round at the beginning of this year in the total amount of approximately USD 10 million, we are currently well capitalized. Crowdinvesting does mean that we are taking on long-term debt, but at a healthy level for us due to the limited amount. We have already published the balance sheet for 2021 in the Federal Gazette for some time.
A distinction must be made here between third-party system providers and restaurateurs' "own, individual deposit systems". In third-party systems, restaurateurs first pay the deposit amounts to the system operator in order to obtain the reusable containers. They therefore advance money, which they then have to repeat from their guests. In addition, there are often shipping fees if, for example, too many deposited containers want to be returned to the system provider.Restaurant-owned deposit systems might work more like you describe. However, this also means that restaurateurs have to take care of the operation, i.e. purchasing and administration of the system. This is because deposit income is not a profit, but rather a liability for which it must be assumed that the containers will have to be returned at some point and the deposit money paid out.
Quality control and hygiene assurance during the life cycle of our containers are carried out by our partners. Together with our manufacturers, we ensure that the containers receive the necessary declaration of conformity that is required in Europe in order to be used here as food packaging. Tim will also address this topic in the webinar and discuss it in detail.
When partners sort out containers , we then check in our warehouse whether the bottom or top part can still be returned to the cycle. If this is the case, we will of course do so. Our goal is to replace as much disposable material as possible with each container and its lid. The really sorted out containers and lids are collected for a controlled recycling.
The Vytal app is currently the most downloaded reusable app in the world. We also monitor our foreign competitors very closely. Based on the information available to us, many foreign markets are significantly behind Germany. This is a particular strength for us, as it allows us to develop much faster and avoid significantly more waste than foreign competitors.
The mandatory reusability is a law enacted by the German government from January 1, 2023. It obliges caterers, depending on the size and number of employees in the establishment, to offer an additional reusable solution for food and beverages that may not cost more than the single-use alternative.
The law stipulates that a reusable variant must not be more expensive than the same product in disposable packaging. It is therefore not sufficient if you offer reusable packaging for sale.
Restaurants, bistros, cafΓ©s and delivery services that sell take-away food or to-go drinks will be obliged to offer their products in reusable packaging from 2023.Smaller stores (snack bars, late-night stores and kiosks) with a total of five employees or fewer and a store area of less than 80 square meters are exempt from the obligation. However, even these businesses must allow their customers to fill their own reusable containers, which they bring with them. Chains cannot make use of the exception for small businesses, even if the sales area of the individual outlets is less than 80 square meters. Since more than five employees work in the entire company, the exception does not apply to them.
Then you are only obligated to fill the containers that your customers bring with them. You don't have to join reusable packaging system , but you can still do it to promote environmental protection and attract new customers. You will find out later how this works with Vytal.
Then you are obligated to offer consumers a reusable solution for your food and beverages in addition to the existing disposable options.
According to the law on mandatory reuse, companies that meet these criteria must offer one of the following two options:
π You can buy plastic or glass containers and lend them to customers
π You can work with a provider like Vytal to offer customers an effective and cost-efficient reusable solution
You are required to offer professionally cleaned containers, even if they are returned dirty by your customers. However, this should not discourage you from using reusable containers, because a rinsed reusable container is just as hygienic as a plate that your guests would receive in a restaurant.It is important that reusable containers are dishwasher safe and can be cleaned at high temperatures.
If you do not comply with the Packaging Act, this represents a competitive advantage over competitors in the same market, because disposable packaging is often offered at a lower price and less costs and effort are incurred because no additional reusable option has to be introduced.In order to enable fair competition, compliance with the Reusable Packaging Act is therefore clearly monitored and violations are prosecuted under both administrative and civil law and, according to Section 36 of the Packaging Act, punished with fines of up to 100,000 euros. The authorities of the respective federal states are responsible for checking whether the Reusable Packaging Act is being complied with by restaurateurs and can intervene with the appropriate measures in the event of violations.
We are always happy to receive questions and suggestions. Write to us at info@vytal.org