Heineken launches tennis-inspired non-alcoholic beer packaging at 2024 US Open

USA – Georges Kern, CEO of Swiss watchmaker Breitling, has invested undisclosed in Soeder, a high-end natural skincare brand known for its refillable packaging.

This move signifies a growing interest in the sustainable beauty industry from luxury brand leaders and highlights the increasing overlap between personal care and luxury lifestyles.

“Georges’ passion for true luxury, sustainability, and authenticity is exactly what Soeder is all about,” said Hanna Olzon Åkerström, Soeder’s co-founder, on LinkedIn.

As part of the investment, Kern will join Soeder’s board of directors, where he will lend his expertise in brand building and global market expansion.

Soeder plans to leverage Kern’s insights to accelerate its international growth and enhance its global prominence.

Founded in 2013, Soeder operates a “true closed-loop model” refill network, consisting of over 130 refill stations.

The brand’s glass bottles are designed for longevity, and they also produce bottles from locally recycled plastic to minimize their carbon footprint.

Soeder products are made without artificial additives, utilizing ingredients like cold-pressed oils, wheat protein, and Swiss honey.

Based in Zurich, Soeder has three shops in Switzerland and markets its products primarily in Europe, the US, and Asia.

The brand’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its operations and product design, positioning it well within the growing trend of refillable beauty packaging.

Suppliers in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector are also responding to the rising demand for sustainable packaging solutions.

Fasten Packaging, under the global beauty solutions provider IBG (Innovative Beauty Group), recently unveiled its Goodloop refillable jar concept, which features customizable branding options.

In another move towards sustainability, Heineken has launched its first web application aimed at ensuring proper disposal of bottles and cans.

The platform, TrashAndWin.com, will go live on April 4, 2024, and is designed to encourage responsible recycling at festivals sponsored by Heineken.

By participating in the platform, users can win exciting rewards for correctly disposing of their waste.

The initiative is supported by Ecovidrio and Ecoembes, organizations focused on recycling and environmental management in Spain.

These groups collaborate with government agencies, businesses, and the public to promote recycling and create a circular economy.

TrashAndWin.com builds on the success of Heineken Spain’s 2023 “Trash Lottery” initiative, where smart bins were installed at music festivals.

These bins treated every piece of litter as a lottery ticket, encouraging festival-goers to dispose of their trash responsibly. The 2023 initiative resulted in the collection of 2 tons of glass, caps, bottles, and plastic items, all aimed at being repurposed.

The platform uses AI to recognize recycling bins and containers in Spain, ensuring that participants dispose of their waste correctly.

Each piece of Heineken trash is treated as a raffle ticket, and participants can instantly learn if they’ve won through an augmented reality (AR) filter on the site.

Prizes are determined based on the location of the phone and the recycling bin, ensuring rewards are redeemable in the same region.

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