A guide to returnable packaging

Watch this video for all you need to know about returning your packaging at PineMelon.

You can leave your packaging as is and store it wherever makes sense for you, but if you don't have a lot of space, you can collapse your packaging and store it with just 3 inches of space.

In a nutshell:

1) Put ice packs in your freezer

2) Cut tape on both sides of box

3) Flatten box and insulation pouches

4) Store in space next to fridge, behind door, etc.

5) Place in a clearly visible location at point of delivery on day of your next delivery

Here is the full transcript from the video:

Hey PineMelon crew, it's Christopher here. I wanted to take a couple of minutes today to walk you through the test boxes that we are trying out as we transition to a new, more sustainable delivery model. In a few weeks, in late February, we're going to be getting some new final boxes, but what we're doing right now is testing some different ideas.

The good news is that in week two of our transition, these boxes are working wonders. With these boxes, we're saving 5,000 bags a week, and our vans are now replacing up to 50 cars a day on the road. Each van does that now with these boxes. The other thing is, they are preserving your ingredients' freshness for even longer than before.

So, with all that being said, it does ask a little more of you to make all of that possible. There are a few different boxes here that you'll see, and again, these are just tests. This is what we tested first, and it's a little bit big. We're phasing these out right now as we speak, as of January 29th or 30th. You might be getting one of these still, but otherwise, you should be getting something a little more friendly like this. It's a little bit smaller, it has handles, and we're using scales to weigh these to make sure that as many of our customers as possible can easily get these from their porch or front door to their kitchen.

So, what happens after you actually get your order? What do you do with the box? What we want you to do is hold on to it and return it with your next order so that we can reach our sustainability goals.

For some of you, that might not be as easy as it sounds. Some of you have a garage or a shed—whatever the case, it's no big deal. You just need to take the box, remove your groceries, and put the box in your garage or wherever works for you. The next time you place an order, just put the box out. Easy said, easy done.

If you happen to live in a place with a little less space, like a small apartment, or if your kitchen isn’t very spacious like mine (I live in a house built in 1970), it's still manageable. While I’m fortunate enough to have a garage, my kitchen isn't great for storage, but I’ve found a place for it.

So, when you get your box, these test ones are taped. You can see I’m using a pair of scissors. Be careful and cut away from yourself to cut the tape. Inside, you're going to find insulation. You can just leave it right in there as it's taped to keep the temperature control. In this case, I think I can pull it right off. You might need to cut it.

Inside, depending on what’s in your order, you’ll find items like frozen groceries in a separate bag, also taped shut. You can just cut that too. Now, you’ve got ice packs. If you don’t have a lot of space, you can leave these all in the box, like I said, and throw everything in your garage or another space.

If you don’t have that, what I would recommend is throwing the ice packs in your freezer until your next order. Clean out your freezer, and you’ll be ready for the next round. All of this packaging packs flat, so there’s one piece that comes out.

I’m new to this as well, but I think it works like this—first time I’ve ever done that. Just like that, it’s easy. Then, for the box itself, you just cut it on the bottom like that. All of this packs down flat. Now, that big, bulky box (or what feels like a big bulky box) is only taking up about two inches of width.

What I recommend is, if you’ve got a little space next to your fridge, you can stick it right there. Or you might have a spot in your pantry. It’s different for everyone, but if you can find a little corner, you can pack it down and store it easily.

You might also get a box like this one—this is an even smaller one, easier to move. There’s no insulation, typically, in this one, and it’s just for items that don’t need insulation. There’s no tape, which is nice, but you do need to break it down. You don’t have to break it down if you don’t want to. If you want to, just follow the flaps. The lid works like this. Don’t worry about being a little rough on it. It’s okay.

This one can feel like a Rubik’s Cube, but it’s not really a big deal. There’s a tab right here on the bottom. You’re going to pull that up, then this one goes down, and you do that three more times. There you go. So, if you get one of these, you can stick it next to your fridge. Boom, boom—it’s done.

If you have one of these boxes, it folds down the same way as the first one. Just cut the tape on the bottom, and it should pack away just as easily. And that’s it!

Thanks for your patience as we work through these changes. The one really nice thing about our final boxes is that they won’t have any tape, and they also won’t have those weird flaps. They’ll be super easy to pull apart, fold down, and pack away until your next order.

When you place your next order, on the day of your delivery, put your packaging out. It could be collapsed or together—it doesn’t matter. Just put it in a super visible spot where you expect to receive your delivery. If it’s not obvious, put it in your delivery notes, and our driver will be sure to get it.

If, for some reason, our driver doesn’t find your returnable packaging, please contact our customer service team, and we’ll make it right for you.

Thank you very much!