STORY: WECARRY WINS iba START UP AWARD

WECARRY, the innovative startup revolutionizing bakery packaging, has emerged victorious in the inaugural iba.START UP AWARD at the 2023 edition of the world’s leading trade fair for the baking and confectionery industry.  Presented in the first ever iba.START UP AREA supported by Puratos, the award recognizes WECARRY’S potential to drive dramatic positive change in the baking industry.

The start-up, based in Munich, Germany, has developed a deposit-based reusable system for bakery packaging, offering a resource-saving alternative to single-use paper bags. The system allows consumers to choose a sustainable reusable bag for a €1 deposit when purchasing baked goods. Upon returning the bag, customers receive their deposit back. WECARRY manages the entire logistics and cleaning process, providing a “hassle-free packaging-as-a-service” solution for bakeries.

WECARRY’s award was presented by iba exhibition director Susann Seidemann and Philippe Arnauts, group communications manager at Puratos, who commented: “24 ambitious startups took part in this first award ever organised at iba – a reflection of the dynamism and creativity that we want the iba.START UP AREA to foster. Ultimately, it was the public that decided WECARRY was deserving of the iba.START UP AWARD. Sustainability and innovation can and must go together, and WECARRY’s idea is a great example of that.”

WECARRY is the brainchild of aspirational entrepreneurs, Nelly Mathias and Mischa Wendel, who share both a passion for the environment and a love of quality bread. This led to the development of the WECARRY system.

Mischa Wendel, co-founder, explained: "Our aim is to revolutionize the way baked goods are sold in bakeries—shifting from single-use to reusable packaging. Our vision is to spark a movement similar to the one already underway for coffee cups."

WECARRY is already in use in the greater Munich area and its immediate focus is to expand its presence in Germany by partnering with more bakeries. The goal is to significantly reduce single-use packaging nationwide. Simultaneously, the company aims to expand into other EU countries, so is actively seeking partners with appropriate local networks and expertise.

Philippe Arnauts concluded: “It was incredibly exciting to see WECARRY win the award. Their philosophy is perfectly aligned with ours - to move the planet forward through innovation and sustainable practices. We're eagerly anticipating the continued success and evolution of WECARRY.”