Can Shed

What Can Shed does

Can Shed is a full-service beverage container redemption center founded in April 1997 by Troy Willard and headquartered at 4121 16th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The company accepts aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles bearing Iowa refund stamps from both walk-in consumers and commercial accounts, operating five retail locations across Eastern Iowa (Cedar Rapids, Marion, Iowa City, Hiawatha, and Manchester) and providing scheduled commercial pickup service in Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and northern Washington counties. Underlying technology consists of five automated sorting machines (first installed in 2017) and self-service reverse vending systems, supplemented by the BottleDrop Iowa mobile app that pairs QR-coded bags to customer accounts for self-serve drop-off with Hyperwallet-integrated digital payouts.

The business operates five revenue streams: (1) walk-in redemption processing where customers receive the Iowa deposit value with a $200/day cash ceiling, (2) BottleDrop Iowa bag sales at $2.15 per 10-count pack plus a $0.25 per-bag processing fee, (3) proprietary can box and liner hardware sales ($7 box, $2 lid, $0.50 liner), (4) commercial pickup contracts, and (5) processing-fee pass-throughs on Hyperwallet withdrawals. The company processed approximately 310,948 containers per day and 1,554,740 per week based on its own disclosed operating statistics.

Go-to-market is multi-channel and community-anchored: staffed counter service, self-serve reverse vending, app-based bag drops, and commercial field pickup form the operational backbone, while the Containers for a Cause program (since 2022, over $65,000 donated to 125+ organizations) and a 2024 Dance Marathon / Iowa Children's Hospital partnership provide differentiated community positioning and brand goodwill within the region. The company is privately held, with no disclosed institutional investors, M&A activity, or parent-entity relationships.

Name

Can Shed

Legal name

Can Shed

Website

https://canshed.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Can Shed is a full-service beverage container redemption center in Eastern Iowa that processes aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles via five retail locations, commercial pickup service, and the BottleDrop Iowa app-based bag-drop system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Container Redemption Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Solid Waste Collection (562111)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support) (IMALAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Recycling Transfer & Consolidation (Single-Stream, Dual-Stream, Source-Separated) (EUAIABAC)

Keywords

• Container redemption services
• Beverage container recycling
• Deposit refund processing
• Aluminum can redemption
• Commercial recycling pickup

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Container Redemption Processing: Can Shed processes redeemable containers (aluminum cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles) and pays customers the Iowa deposit refund value. For walk-in customers, maximum payout is $200/day cash; amounts exceeding $200 are invoiced and paid by check within 7-10 business days.
2. BottleDrop Iowa Bag Sales: Sale of BottleDrop Iowa bags (10 count) at $2.15 per box, available at Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, Iowa City, and Marion locations. A $0.25 processing fee is charged per bag deposited.
3. Can Box and Liner Sales: Sale of proprietary can boxes at $7.00 each, can box lids at $2.00 plus tax, and liner deposits at $0.50 each (replaced when redeemed). Liners also available at $5.00 per roll.
4. BottleDrop Processing Fees: Can Shed charges $0.25 per BottleDrop Iowa bag deposited for processing. Additional revenue comes from Hyperwallet transfer fees when customers withdraw funds ($0.35 for bank transfers, $0.20 for PayPal/Venmo).
5. Commercial Pick-up Service: Commercial pick-up service for businesses in Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and northern Washington counties, provided on a scheduled or as-needed basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Can Shed is a full-service beverage container redemption center that accepts aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles displaying Iowa refund stamps. It pays Iowa deposit refund value to walk-in consumers at five physical locations across Eastern Iowa and provides scheduled or as-needed commercial pickup service to businesses in Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and northern Washington counties. The company also operates the BottleDrop Iowa app-based bag redemption system and supports community can drives for nonprofit fundraising.

Product overview

Can Shed is a full-service beverage container redemption center operating a multi-location retail model with integrated digital services. The core offering consists of walk-in redemption services and commercial pick-up services that process aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles displaying Iowa refund stamps. Supporting the core services are the BottleDrop Iowa app-based redemption system (which uses pre-printed QR code bags for convenient drop-off), the Can Box and Liner System for efficient container sorting, and the Containers for a Cause charitable giving program. The company also offers can drive fundraising services for community organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BottleDrop Iowa: App-based container redemption option that provides a quick, clean, and convenient way to cash in aluminum and plastic containers.
• Containers for a Cause

Products and services

• Walk-In Redemption Service In-person container redemption service accepting aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles at five Iowa locations (Cedar Rapids, Marion, Iowa City, Hiawatha, Manchester). Customers receive the Iowa deposit refund value, with a maximum cash payout of $200.00 per day; amounts exceeding $200 are invoiced and paid by check within 7-10 business days.
• Commercial Pick-Up Service
• BottleDrop Iowa App-based container redemption option available on iOS and Android that allows customers to purchase pre-printed QR code bags, pair them to a BottleDrop account, and drop them at BottleDrop Iowa locations for credit within 10 business days. A $0.25 processing fee applies per bag deposited, with up to 15 bags per day. Funds are transferred via Hyperwallet to bank accounts, PayPal, or Venmo.
• Can Box and Liner System
• BottleDrop Iowa Bags Pre-printed QR code bags sold in packs of 10 for $2.15 at Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, Iowa City, and Marion locations for use with the BottleDrop Iowa app-based redemption system.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processes over 310,948 containers daily (1,554,740 weekly)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UI Dance MarathoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Fall 2024 partnership with Dance Marathon and Iowa Children's Hospital to collect containers during Iowa home football games. Can Shed provides collection carts and gold tailgater bags at various parking lots. Proceeds go directly to both organizations in the fight against childhood cancer. Goal: 1,000,000 containers equaling $50,000.
• UI Stead Family Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Dance Marathon has raised more than $35 million over 30 years to provide financial and emotional support to pediatric cancer patients and their families on Level 11 of the UI Stead Family Children's Hospital.
• BottleDropcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024BottleDrop Iowa is a service offered by Can Shed in partnership with BottleDrop. The app-based container redemption system includes QR code pairing, bag drop functionality, and fund transfers via Hyperwallet. BottleDrop provides the technology platform enabling the self-serve bag redemption system.
• Kids First Law CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Kids First Law Center is Can Shed's quarterly featured recipient of the Containers for a Cause program. Since 2022, over $65,000 has been donated through this initiative. The donations come from undesignated donations, abandoned bags, and customer-donated containers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Waste Management, Inc. Largest U.S. solid-waste and recycling-services company, with a Recycle America materials-recovery-facility footprint and growing deposit-return/-recovery partnerships. Comparable in operating scale and in serving commercial/municipal customers for recyclables.
• TOMRA Systems ASA: Global leader in reverse vending machines (RVMs) and sensor-based sorting equipment used by container-deposit operators worldwide. Comparable as the upstream tech stack for redemption, and as a potential partner/competitor if it vertically integrates into depot operations.
• Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Regional solid waste, recycling, and resource-management operator in the Northeastern U.S. Provides materials-recovery-facility services and is a public-market proxy for how regional recyclers can be valued and scaled.
• Envipco Holding N.V. Specialist provider of reverse vending machines and deposit-return infrastructure for beverage container schemes in Europe and North America. Comparable as both a technology supplier and operator-adjacent business serving the same deposit-return ecosystem.
• Republic Services, Inc. Large-cap national solid-waste and recycling hauler with materials-recovery facilities and recycling-service contracts. Adjacent to Can Shed's redemption/processing layer and a likely strategic acquirer if Can Shed expanded.
• Recology Inc. Employee-owned West Coast materials-recovery and resource-management company. Analogous on the materials-recovery-facility and commercial recycling services offering that complements Can Shed's commercial pickup arm.

Direct peers

• Return-It: British Columbia's container redemption network with depot and Express & HD drop-off points. Closest cross-border analog to Can Shed's walk-in + automated bag-drop hybrid model, accepting beverage containers under BC's deposit-return law.
• BottleDrop / Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC): Statewide deposit-return redemption network operating BottleDrop drop-door facilities and retail centers across Oregon. Directly analogous business model — automated bag drops, container sorting, and handling-fee revenue from distributor-funded deposits — and is in fact the technology partner behind Can Shed's 'BottleDrop Iowa' sub-brand.
• Tom's Bottle & Can Redemption: Long-established independent Iowa redemption center serving walk-in and commercial customers. Closest like-for-like competitor in the same regulatory environment and customer segments (aluminum, PET, glass).
• RecycleBC: Producer-funded residential packaging and paper recycling program in British Columbia that operates as an extended-producer-responsibility clearinghouse. Comparable on the materials-recovery processing and handling-fee monetization mechanics that underpin container deposit schemes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CanShed
• Xx.com/canshed
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/can-shed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Can Shed