Uzaje
Uzaje was a France-based industrial washing service founded in 2019 that cleaned reusable food packaging and containers for the restaurant and agri-food industries across four sites. It ceased operations in May 2026 following failed takeover attempts during judicial recovery.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersNeuilly-sur-marne, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Uzaje does
Uzaje was a France-based social enterprise (économie sociale et solidaire) founded in 2019 that operated industrial washing facilities for reusable food packaging and containers. The company deployed four industrial sites across Neuilly-sur-Marne, Avignon, Strasbourg, and Lyon Saint-Priest, providing sanitation services for returnable packaging used by food service operators (restaurants, catering) and agri-food producers. Uzaje positioned itself as enabling infrastructure for compliance with French EGAlim and AGEC laws and the EU PPWR regulation on reusable packaging, while also pursuing professional integration and local industrial job creation as part of its social mission.
Over its operational lifetime, Uzaje washed more than 20 million reusable containers and created more than 50 industrial jobs. It raised approximately $16.3 million cumulatively across 2022 and 2023 rounds from impact and public-sector investors including Banque des Territoires, France Active, A Plus Finance, Impactivist, and Good Only Ventures. The company operated a direct, B2B service-based revenue model with quote-based pricing, serving customers through its own owned-and-operated washing infrastructure rather than through licensing or third-party logistics.
Despite physical scale and policy tailwinds, Uzaje did not achieve a sustainable economic model. The market for industrial reusable packaging developed more slowly than anticipated, and the regulatory modalities and timelines set by the eco-organization CITEO remained unclear, which the company cited as a direct impediment to securing takeover bids or new financing. Uzaje entered judicial recovery (redressement judiciaire) on March 31, 2026, no takeover offer was presented at the Bobigny commercial court hearing on May 11, 2026, and the company officially ceased operations on May 26, 2026 with all sites closed and cabinet ASTEREN appointed as judicial liquidator.
Uzaje firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Uzaje
- Legal name
- Uzaje
- Website
- https://uzaje.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Uzaje was a France-based industrial washing service founded in 2019 that cleaned reusable food packaging and containers for the restaurant and agri-food industries across four sites. It ceased operations in May 2026 following failed takeover attempts during judicial recovery.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Uzaje industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Container Washing Services
- NAICS
- Industrial Launderers (812332)
- SIC
- Sanitary Services (4950), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Uniform & Linen Cleaning, Sanitization & Processing (Service-Included) (HSAJAMAE)
Keywords
Where Uzaje is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Neuilly-sur-marne
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Uzaje business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Industrial container washing services: Provided industrial washing services for reusable containers and packaging to restaurants and food industry businesses. Revenue was generated through service fees for washing and sanitizing returnable containers, supporting the circular economy transition in food packaging.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Uzaje product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Uzaje operated industrial washing facilities that cleaned and sanitized reusable containers and packaging on behalf of restaurants, catering operators, and agri-food companies. The company ran four dedicated industrial washing sites in France (Neuilly-sur-Marne, Avignon, Strasbourg, Lyon Saint-Priest) and processed more than 20 million returnable containers over its operational lifetime. The service was positioned to help clients comply with French and European reusable packaging regulations (EGAlim, AGEC, PPWR).
Product overview
Uzaje offered a single service offering: industrial washing of reusable containers and packaging for the restaurant and agri-food industry. The company operated four industrial washing sites located in Neuilly-sur-Marne, Avignon, Strasbourg, and Lyon Saint-Priest, France. Their core service enabled the transition toward packaging reuse in response to EGAlim, AGEC, and PPWR regulatory frameworks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Industrial Washing Services for Reusable Containers Industrial-scale washing and sanitization of reusable containers and packaging, delivered through four company-owned washing sites in France (Neuilly-sur-Marne, Avignon, Strasbourg, Lyon Saint-Priest). The service targets restaurants, catering companies, and agri-food businesses required to comply with EGAlim, AGEC, and European PPWR reuse regulations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Washed more than 20 million reusable containers
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Uzaje
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Uzaje technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Uzaje partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CITEOminorCITEO is the eco-organization referenced in Uzaje's announcement as having unclear modalities and timelines for reusable packaging objectives. The uncertainty around CITEO's regulatory implementation contributed to Uzaje's inability to secure takeover bids or new financing.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Uzaje competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Elis: Elis is the leading French and European provider of flat linen, workwear and hygiene services, operating industrial laundering sites across France. It is the closest scaled analogue to Uzaje's industrial washing service model for B2B customers, differing mainly in serving textiles rather than reusable containers.
- CWS International: CWS International is a major European provider of workwear rental, flat linen supply and hygiene services with extensive industrial washing operations. Its service-included, route-based industrial cleaning model mirrors Uzaje's direct-service model for B2B customers.
- Lindström Group: Lindström is a Finnish-headquartered workwear and textile service company operating across Europe with full industrial laundering of rented items. It offers a comparable recurring, service-included industrial washing model for reusable textile assets.
Broad incumbents
- Rentokil Initial: Rentokil Initial is a global hygiene services group with a substantial workwear and laundry arm (formerly Initial/Bergen hygiene services). It competes in the same broad B2B industrial hygiene and laundry space as Uzaje, though as part of a much wider pest-control and hygiene portfolio.
Regional players
- Miko (Miko Services): Miko is a French provider of industrial laundry services and reusable textile rentals serving French and Benelux markets. It is a country-level direct analogue to Uzaje's industrial washing service model in France, though focused on linen and workwear rather than reusable food packaging.
Emerging players
- Loop (TerraCycle reusable platform): Loop operates a reusable packaging platform for consumer goods and food service with industrial washing partners. It overlaps with Uzaje at the reusable-container and circular-economy layer but partners with third-party industrial washers rather than operating its own sites like Uzaje did.
- Algramo: Algramo is a reusable packaging and refill system provider for food and FMCG brands operating across Europe and the Americas. It is comparable as an emerging player in the same reusable packaging ecosystem that Uzaje served, with reverse-logistics washing as a shared operational requirement.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Uzaje social profiles
Digital presenceUzaje financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Uzaje leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Uzaje funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Uzaje M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Uzaje
What does Uzaje do?
Uzaje operated industrial washing facilities that cleaned and sanitized reusable containers and packaging on behalf of restaurants, catering operators, and agri-food companies. The company ran four dedicated industrial washing sites in France (Neuilly-sur-Marne, Avignon, Strasbourg, Lyon Saint-Priest) and processed more than 20 million returnable containers over its operational lifetime. The service was positioned to help clients comply with French and European reusable packaging regulations (EGAlim, AGEC, PPWR).
Is Uzaje a public or private company?
Uzaje is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently closed.
When was Uzaje founded?
Uzaje was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Uzaje based?
Uzaje is headquartered in Neuilly-sur-marne, France, in the Europe region.
How does Uzaje make money?
One revenue line is on record: industrial container washing services.
Who are Uzaje's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Elis, CWS International and Lindström Group. Rentokil Initial is listed as a broad incumbent. Miko (Miko Services) is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Loop (TerraCycle reusable platform) and Algramo.
Does Uzaje have an API?
No public API is recorded for Uzaje.
What industry is Uzaje in?
Uzaje's product category is Industrial Container Washing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAJAMAE, Uniform & Linen Cleaning, Sanitization & Processing (Service-Included). Its NAICS code is 812332 and its SIC code is 4950.