What Monbento does

Monbento is a French premium consumer brand founded in 2009 and headquartered in Cournon-d'Auvergne, near Clermont-Ferrand. The company designs, manufactures, and sells reusable bento lunch boxes, water bottles, insulated containers, and a wide modular accessory ecosystem targeting health-conscious consumers, families, and B2B clients. Its product portfolio is centered on the flagship MB Original (a 1L two-tier bento Made in France from PBT plastic with hermetic silicone-gasket seals) and extends across MB Square (1.7L large format), MB Element (insulated), MB Flex (compartmentalized with included cutlery), MB Sense (stainless steel), MB Pure (glass, co-developed with PYREX), MB Warmer (electric heated), MB Lib (double-wall insulated bowl), a children's sub-brand (MB Tresor, MB Gram, MB Handy, MB Snacky, Yummy), reusable water bottles (MB Positive S/M, MB Pop, MB Steel, Travel Mug), and accessories (sauce containers, cutlery sets, compartment inserts, ice packs, insulated bags, a children's backpack, and replacement parts). The underlying technology is mechanical and materials-based: BPA-free plastics (PBT, Tritan, PP), stainless steel, and glass, combined with hermetic sealing, modular compartment systems, and microwave/dishwasher compatibility.

Monbento operates a hybrid omnichannel go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (localized in French, English, German, Italian, and Spanish across more than 50 destinations) with marketplace presence on Amazon, premium French offline retail (Galeries Lafayette, Nature & Découvertes, Fnac), and a B2B field sales team handling bulk orders, corporate gifts, and restaurant partnerships across 1000+ sales points. The business model is unit-priced one-time sales of physical goods (entry-level accessories from €0.70, core lunch boxes €17.90-€44.90, premium gift sets up to €128.50), with Klarna installment payments enabled from €90, free shipping above €60, and a lifetime warranty on all products except the MB Warmer. The company is privately held and has been a subsidiary of Peugeot Frères Industries since 2018. Earlier-stage funding included a ~$676,712 seed round from Newfund in 2011 and a follow-on ~$652,651 round in 2012; no subsequent external rounds are disclosed. Customer segments are predominantly individual consumers with a horizontal segmentation approach, supplemented by a secondary B2B segment (restaurants, corporate gifting, professional retail kits) and a dedicated children sub-brand.

Name

Monbento

Legal name

Monbento

Website

https://monbento.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Monbento is a French premium consumer brand that designs and sells reusable bento lunch boxes, water bottles, and modular meal-transport accessories, serving health-conscious consumers, families, and B2B clients across 50+ countries via DTC e-commerce, Amazon, and premium retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reusable Food Containers and Lunch Boxes

NAICS

Glass Container Manufacturing (327213)

SIC

Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420), Glass Containers (3221)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Storage Containers (Disposable & Reusable) (CRAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Reusable lunch boxes
• Bento boxes
• Portable food containers
• Insulated water bottles
• Meal prep accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Clermont-ferrand

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Sale of lunch boxes, water bottles, insulated containers, cutlery, sauce containers, meal bags and accessories through owned e-commerce website and retail partners.
2. B2B/Professional Sales: Bulk sales to retailers, restaurants, and corporate clients including customizable products and gift sets.
3. Professional Kits: Product kits for professionals including assortment boxes for retailers to display in stores, available with or without wooden furniture.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Monbento designs, manufactures, and sells reusable lunch boxes (bento boxes), insulated water bottles, and portable meal accessories for adults and children. Core offerings include the MB Original two-tier bento (Made in France, PBT plastic with hermetic seals), MB Square, MB Element, MB Flex, MB Sense stainless steel, and MB Pure glass models, alongside complementary cutlery, sauce containers, ice packs, insulated bags, and children's products. The company markets through its own e-commerce site, Amazon, and premium French retailers including Galeries Lafayette, Nature & Découvertes, and Fnac.

Product overview

Monbento is a French premium brand (Marque Française) that manufactures reusable lunch boxes, bottles, and accessories for portable meals. The product portfolio centers on the core MB Original (flagship two-tier bento box, 1L, Made in France) and expands across multiple lunch box lines (MB Square large format 1.7L, MB Element insulated, MB Flex compartmentalized, MB Sense stainless steel, MB Pure glass, MB Warmer heated, MB Lib bowl), children's products (MB Tresor bento, MB Gram snack box, MB Handy insulated, MB Snacky sandwich box, Yummy puree bottle), bottles (MB Positive reusable in S/M sizes, MB Pop insulated, MB Steel with infuser, Travel Mug), and comprehensive accessories (MB Slim Box/Nest cutlery, MB Pocket Color biodegradable cutlery, MB Temple sauce containers in S/M/L sizes, MB Extra compartment inserts, MB I-cy ice pack, MB Pochette/Fresh/Arctic bags, MB Buddy children's backpack). The ecosystem is designed around interoperability—accessories like sauce containers, cutlery, and bags are engineered to fit specific bento models, creating a modular portable meal system. The brand emphasizes French manufacturing (Made in France for main bento lines), lifetime warranties, BPA-free materials, and eco-friendly reusable design targeting both adults and children.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• monbento® Kids: Product collection designed for children, including lunch boxes, water bottles, snack boxes, and meal bags sized for young users.
• MB Warmer

Products and services

• MB Original
• MB Square
• MB Element Insulated bento box (550ml) that keeps meals hot or cold. Features stainless steel construction with graphic designs and is leak-proof. Designed for users needing thermal retention for their meals.
• MB Flex Compartmentalized lunch box (1L) with dividers and included cutlery. Features a microwave-safe design with flexible compartments for organizing different food items. Targeted at users wanting all-in-one meal solutions.
• MB Sense L Stainless steel lunch box with microwave compatibility. Features hermetic seal and is part of the metal bento collection. Designed for users preferring durable metal construction.
• MB Pure Glass lunch box designed for batch cooking and food storage. Part of the collaboration with PYREX for meal prep solutions. Made in France with glass material.
• MB Warmer Electric heated bento box that warms meals. Features a lifetime warranty exception (only product not covered by lifetime warranty) and is designed for on-the-go meal heating.
• MB Capsule Small insulated bento (280ml) for compact meal transport with temperature retention.
• MB Lib Double-wall insulated bowl (450ml) for soups and hot/cold meals. Features a steam release valve for microwave use.
• MB Savor Small bento box for transporting sides, appetizers, desserts, or snacks with hermetic seal.
• MB Jar 100% hermetic jar for layered salads and soups. Features silicone cap for microwave reheating.
• MB Gram Children's snack box (600ml) with interchangeable customizable pastilles. Features crumb-proof seal and easy-open latch designed for small hands. Targeted at children from 4 years old.
• MB Tresor Children's bento box (800ml) with customizable accessories and colorful designs. Features easy-open mechanism for young children.
• MB Snacky Sandwich box for children with customizable options for easy identification at school.
• MB Handy Insulated lunch box designed for children with child-friendly features and designs.
• MB Positive M Reusable water bottle (50cl) made from Tritan plastic. Features square shape for maximum capacity in minimal space, BPA-free, and impact-resistant.
• MB Positive S Compact reusable water bottle (33cl) for children (4+ years) made from Tritan. Features child-friendly design with colorful patterns.
• MB Pop Compact insulated bottle (36cl) for beverages. Features thermal insulation to keep drinks hot or cold.
• MB Steel Insulated water bottle (50cl) with tea infuser. Made from stainless steel for hot/cold beverage retention.
• Travel Mug L Large insulated travel mug with straw for hot and cold beverages. Features graphic designs and high-capacity for drinks.
• MB Slim Box Stainless steel reusable cutlery set (fork, knife, spoon) with protective case. Fits under bento lids of Original, Sense, and Square models.
• MB Pure Glass Meal Prep (Prep) Set of 3 glass food storage containers (600ml each) for meal prep and batch cooking.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PYREXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonbento x PYREX collaboration featuring the MB Pure lunch box in glass, combining PYREX glass manufacturing expertise with Monbento design for a Made in France batch cooking solution.
• OpinelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonbento x Opinel Origines collaboration featuring a meal set with MB Sense L stainless steel lunch box and Opinel knife, combining French craftsmanship in cutlery with bento box design.
• HindbagminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonbento x Hindbag collaboration featuring a lunch box set with insulated bag made from organic cotton, combining sustainable fashion with reusable food containers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stojo: Stojo makes collapsible, reusable cups, bottles, and food containers sold primarily through D2C and Amazon. Comparable to Monbento on reusable portable-meal products, design-led branding, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce model.
• Bentgo: Bentgo is a direct competitor offering a broad range of reusable bento-style lunch boxes for kids and adults across multiple price points, sold via D2C and major US retailers (Amazon, Target, Walmart). Highly comparable to Monbento in product format, target segments, and channel mix.
• Yumbox: Yumbox specializes in leak-proof, compartmentalized bento lunch boxes for children, sold globally through D2C and specialty retailers. Directly comparable to Monbento's MB Tresor and MB Gram kids lines in product design and child-focused positioning.
• PlanetBox: PlanetBox sells premium stainless steel lunch boxes and bento systems with a sustainability-led brand story, distributed via D2C and education channels. Closely comparable to Monbento's MB Sense stainless steel line and shared premium eco-positioning.
• Ecolunchbox: Ecolunchbox is a US-based pioneer in waste-free lunch gear, offering reusable metal containers and bento sets. Comparable to Monbento on sustainability positioning, reusable meal format, and educational/B2B outreach.
• Black+Blum: Black+Blum is a UK-based design-led brand offering premium reusable lunch boxes, bottles, and food containers with a focus on sustainable materials. Directly comparable to Monbento on premium design, materials, and pan-European D2C distribution.
• Elephant Box: Elephant Box is a UK brand selling stainless steel lunch boxes and food containers with a strong sustainability and plastic-free narrative. Comparable to Monbento on reusable lunch format, premium positioning, and UK/European D2C presence.

Broad incumbents

• Joseph Joseph: Joseph Joseph is a larger, design-led kitchenware brand with a broader portfolio (cutlery, food storage, prep tools) sold globally through department stores and D2C. Comparable as a design-driven incumbent competing in adjacent reusable storage and lunch/cutlery categories.
• Sistema Plastics: Sistema is a large New Zealand-based plastics brand offering a broad range of reusable food storage and lunch containers distributed through mass-market retailers globally. Comparable as a much larger incumbent in the reusable plastic food container space.
• Lock&Lock: Lock&Lock is a global mass-market brand specializing in airtight food storage containers and lunch boxes, with extensive retail and Amazon distribution. Comparable as a broad incumbent whose reusable food container range overlaps Monbento at lower price points.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@monbento
• Facebookfacebook.com/monbento
• Instagraminstagram.com/monbento
• Pinterestpinterest.fr/monbento
• Xx.com/monbento

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 Monbento