Success Story

Leonardi

With Relevo, a complete switch to reusable packaging is easy—including prepacked salads and 24/7 returns. A successful example of sustainability in the hospitality sector.

Share Success Story

A sustainable restart that makes a statement

Leonardi is an innovative catering company based in Munich and also one of our first Relevo partners. They operate several staff canteens, including the ones for the Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR).

When a new canteen opened at the Freimann site, Leonardi and BR consciously opted for a fully sustainable launch.

The goal: A completely waste-free take-away operation that is efficient, customer-friendly, and economically viable.

The challenges

From July 1, 2025 (with the opening of the new canteen), the entire take-away area was to be fully switched to reusable packaging. This meant:

No more single-use items, not even biodegradable versions or for prepacked salads
Shrink rate should not worsen despite higher lending volumes, ideally it should improve
Make everything as convenient and pleasant as possible for guests

The solution

The prepacked salads are served in boxes with transparent lids, making the type of salad immediately visible in the refrigerated display.
Since sustainability is especially important to BR, return machines were installed:
– Guests can return their containers 24/7, completely smartphone-free.
– Canteen staff save time and labor costs during the return process.
– Thanks to a secure return system, BR drastically reduces loss costs.
At the start of the transition, a bonus campaign was launched: Guests who collected five Relevo loans on their bonus card received a free drink.

“We only need to empty the machines – everything else runs automatically. Minimal effort, and our guests can return their containers 24/7, without fixed times.”

The Results

Since switching to Relevo, the number of loans have doubled at both locations. Return machines enable 24/7 returns without a smartphone, saving canteen staff time and helping the BR to reduce expenses resulting from inventory loss.

Guests benefit from convenient usage, and Leonardi can operate the canteens efficiently. Overall, everyone is satisfied. A successful project and one of the strongest examples of practical sustainability in the hospitality sector.