Novolex invests in Ozzi

Hartsville, South Carolina-based Novolex has invested in Rhode Island-based reusable systems and container brand Ozzi. As a part of this investment, Eco-Products, a Novolex business unit and sustainable food packaging producer, will work with Ozzi to accelerate its growth.

Ozzi’s portfolio includes O2GO containers, cups and cutlery; Ozzi Drop N’Go Collection Systems; the Ozzi Automated Collection Machine; and a kitchen collection of racks, baskets and other equipment to support washing, sanitizing, drying and storing returned reusables. The O2GO containers have been third-party tested and are certified to perform for more than 1,000 washes.

Ozzi products and solutions are specifically designed for closed-system environments, including colleges and universities, corporate campuses, military bases and hospitals. The company is a solution partner for more 400 campus dining environments.  

“We have seen significant growth in market demand for effective reusable solutions,” Ozzi CEO Tom Wright says. “Over the past 11 years we have developed an industry-leading approach to offering reusable packaging systems at scale, and we are incredibly excited to partner with Novolex and Eco-Products to help accelerate our growth in the years ahead.” 

The Ozzi solution features a container collection and tracking system. The company’s O2GO containers are equipped with barcode technology that facilitates tracking and are designed to integrate with meal plan systems. The Ozzi system works independently and can also be integrated with leading campus meal plan systems including Atrium and CBORD, the company says.

Earlier this month, Ozzi announced a partnership with Atrium, a cloud-based campus card management solution for campus systems that enables Ozzi systems to interface with GrubHub, Dining Sidekick by Aramark, Everyday by Sodexo and other similar platforms. 

“We view reusable packaging as a critical offering in the range of sustainable packaging choices available to the market,” Eco-Products President Ian Jacobson says. “An item’s recyclability, compostability or reusability hinges on the design decisions and infrastructure that support the product through its full life cycle. We have been impressed by Ozzi’s ability to support industry-leading levels of reuse and are excited to combine their technology with the zero waste expertise of the Eco-Products sales organization.”  

Jacobson will be joining Ozzi’s board of directors as a part of the transaction.