r.World | Reuse
r.World | Reuse provides turnkey reusable serveware — r.Cup, r.Ware, and Ecolab-certified wash hubs — to U.S. sports venues, arenas, music venues, festivals, and corporations, supported by its proprietary r.Turn inventory and impact-tracking platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What r.World | Reuse does
r.World | Reuse (legal name r.World) is a privately held U.S. reuse-services company founded in 2017 by Michael Martin and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It operates a turnkey reusable serveware platform built around two physical product lines — r.Cup reusable plastic cups (rated for ~300 uses) and r.Ware foodware including plates, bowls, clamshells, and food boats (rated for ~1,000 uses) — combined with Ecolab-certified regional wash hubs (Hopkins, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Seattle, plus newer hubs in Las Vegas, NYC, and Washington D.C.) and the proprietary r.Turn software platform that tracks inventory and environmental impact through QR and RFID technology. The r.Turn mobile app handles ordering, delivery tracking, and EPA-aligned reporting of CO2, water, energy, and waste reductions. The company has reported preventing 25+ million single-use items from landfill across 200+ venues, 10,000+ events, 35 states, and 150+ cities.
r.World generates revenue primarily through subscription-style, multi-year venue contracts in which customers pay based on the volume of single-use items displaced; offerings bundle serveware, collection bins, signage, training, on-site support, delivery and pickup, washing, sanitization, and monthly impact reports. Pricing is quote-based and varies by venue size and usage, with some venues adding a per-transaction sustainability fee (e.g., $5 at Cali Vibes Festival) that generates margin above program cost. The go-to-market is direct enterprise sales to sports venues, arenas, music venues, and event producers, supplemented by channel influence from major concessionaires (Levy Restaurants, Aramark, Sodexo, ASM Global), promoters (AEG, Goldenvoice), and artist-driven adoption (U2, Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band). Coca-Cola has engaged r.World to support its 25% reusable packaging commitment by 2030 across music venues, movie theaters, Olympics, and World Cup events.
Customer concentration sits in large enterprise accounts (Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theater, Coors Field, USC L.A. Coliseum, Aquarium of the Pacific, INFRA) alongside a long tail of festivals and arenas, with a 99% client retention rate and 94-99% reusable-cup return rates. The company appears founder-controlled and bootstrapped, with no disclosed venture or private-equity funding, and has donated 10% of the company to nonprofits addressing single-use waste. The leadership team is mission-driven (CEO Martin, Board Chair Tom Sellars, President/CFO Craig Swanson, COO Tim Webert, CSO Ed DeFraine) and the board includes senior executives from Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, General Mills, and Fredrikson & Byron.
r.World | Reuse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- r.World | Reuse
- Legal name
- r.World
- Website
- https://rworldreuse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- r.World | Reuse provides turnkey reusable serveware — r.Cup, r.Ware, and Ecolab-certified wash hubs — to U.S. sports venues, arenas, music venues, festivals, and corporations, supported by its proprietary r.Turn inventory and impact-tracking platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
r.World | Reuse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Reusable Serveware & Circular Logistics Services
- NAICS
- Industrial Launderers (812332), Linen and Uniform Supply (81233)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reusable Packaging & Refill Systems (Returnable Transport Items, Deposit/DRS Ops) (EUAIANAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Reusable & Refill Packaging Systems (Returnable Packaging, Refill-at-Home/In-Store) (IMALAMAE)
Keywords
Where r.World | Reuse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
r.World | Reuse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Reusable Serveware Rental: Venues rent reusable cups and foodware on a per-event or subscription basis. Includes delivery, pickup, washing, and sanitization services. Pricing based on volume of single-use items displaced.
- Turnkey Program Services: Complete reuse system including bins, signage, training, and support bundled with serveware rental at no additional cost. Revenue generated from serveware usage fees.
- Sustainability Fee: Some venues add a sustainability fee (e.g., $0.50 or $5 at festivals) to transactions to offset reuse program costs, generating revenue that exceeds program costs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Quote-based custom pricing for venues |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
r.World | Reuse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
r.World provides reusable cups (r.Cup) and foodware (r.Ware) on a rental basis to sports venues, music venues, arenas, and corporate campuses, bundling delivery, pickup, washing, and sanitization at regional Ecolab-certified wash hubs. Customers also receive the proprietary r.Turn platform for inventory tracking, on-site bins, signage, staff training, and monthly environmental impact reports. The service is sold as a multi-year subscription with volume-based pricing tied to single-use items displaced.
Product overview
r.World is a reusable serveware platform offering two core product lines: r.Cup reusable cups (rated for up to 300 uses) and r.Ware foodware (plates, bowls, clamshells, food boats). The system is powered by the r.Turn platform and app for inventory tracking, ordering, and environmental impact reporting. Operations are supported by regionally located wash hubs using Ecolab-certified sanitization. The company provides everything as a turnkey service package including bins, signage, training, support, and reporting.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- r.Cup: Reusable plastic cups designed for up to 300 uses, made to r.World specifications in the United States.
- r.Ware
- r.Turn
Products and services
- r.Cup Reusable Cups
- r.Ware Reusable Foodware
- r.Turn Platform
- r.World Wash Hubs
Quantifiable outcome
- Prevents 20+ million single-use cups and serveware items from landfills
- +11 more outcomes
Companies that use r.World | Reuse
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
r.World | Reuse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
r.World | Reuse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- St. Paul SaintscoreTriple-A baseball team expanding from successful 2025 pilot to full-stadium reusable cup and foodware program at CHS Field. Partnership supported by BizRecycling Waste Reduction and Innovation Grant with technical assistance from Waste Wise.
- Colorado RockiescoreMLB team partnership to provide reusable r.Cups at Coors Field, starting with Club Level pilot in August 2024. Aramark, Coors Field's hospitality partner, provided instrumental oversight. Partnership aims to make Coors Field a leader in MLB sustainability.
- Crypto.com ArenacoreFull-time reusable cup program launched August 2024, serving all beverages at NBA Lakers/Clippers and NHL Kings home games. Depeche Mode pilot in December kept 23,000 cups from landfill. Lee Zeidman, President, drives sustainability initiatives.
- Peacock TheatercoreFull-time reusable cup program alongside Crypto.com Arena, both AEG-owned venues working toward sustainability pledge. Expansion announced August 2024.
- USC L.A. ColiseumcoreReusable cup program for USC football games starting 2023-24 season. Reached 99.5% return rate. Sustainability Assistant Christopher Kalaw championed the program. Partners include Legends (culinary) and ABM Industries (janitorial).
- SIFF Cinema DowntowncoreHistoric Seattle cinema switched from 2,000 single-use cups per week to reusable r.Cups. 100,000 cups prevented annually. Implemented across all SIFF Cinema locations in Seattle. Part of Seattle Public Utilities Reuse Seattle initiative.
- Aquarium of the PacificcoreSoCal aquarium serving millions of visitors eliminated single-use paper cups with reusable r.Cups. 90-day trial achieved 90-92% return rate. Ken Stewart, chef for four cafes, championed the program.
- Breckenridge VipersminorSemi-pro hockey team converted to r.Cups when town banned single-use plastic in city-owned facilities. Owner Rick Batenburg and Mountain Hockey League adopted the solution for rink bars.
- Cali Vibes FestivalcoreGoldenvoice festival in Long Beach, CA replaced single-use beer cups with reusable r.Cups. 100,000+ cups prevented from landfill. Added $5 sustainability fee to passes. Headlined by Snoop Dogg and Jack Johnson.
- INFRA (Independent Natural Foods Retailers Association)minorNational convention of 650+ natural food retail storefronts switched from compostable cups and to-go boxes to reusable r.World products. Prevented 10,000+ items in 4-day 2024 conference.
- U2coreFirst major artist to pilot r.World on 2017 Joshua Tree Tour, launching the U.S. reuse movement. Band gave Martin permission to request venues implement reuse during shows. Led to partnerships with 13+ acts.
- The Coca-Cola CompanycoreCoca-Cola, committed to 25% reusable products by 2030, works with r.World for reuse services at music venues, movie theaters, Olympics, World Cup. AEG's exclusive beverage partner and major r.World proponent.
- AEGcoreAEG (competitor to Live Nation) is partnered with r.World. Exclusive beverage partner Coca-Cola advocates for r.World. AEG venues include Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theater, and Goldenvoice festivals.
- Levy RestaurantscoreCrypto.com Arena's hospitality partner and strong advocate for sustainable solutions. Levy drives sustainability initiatives and recommended r.World program.
- AramarkcoreCoors Field's hospitality partner providing instrumental oversight and implementation of r.World pilot program. National concessionaire with operational design focus groups.
- ASM GlobalcoreVenue management company partnered with r.World. Shaun Beard quoted as saying 'r.World is clearly the top company in its field.'
- NIVA (National Independent Venue Association)minorTrade association for independent venues partnered with r.World for reuse implementation.
- EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)minorSelected by EPA to help raise national awareness of reuse. Environmental impact reporting uses EPA guidelines.
- White House Council on Environmental QualityminorSelected by White House Council on Environmental Quality to help raise national awareness of reuse.
- Seattle Public Utilities / Reuse SeattleminorPartnership with Seattle's Reuse Seattle initiative which has kept over 1 million single-use cups, bowls, and plates out of landfills. Ashima Sukhdev, climate policy advisor, leads initiative.
- BizRecycling / Waste WiseminorWaste Reduction and Innovation Grant from BizRecycling (Ramsey and Washington counties) with technical assistance from Waste Wise, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce program. Includes waste assessments, staff training, and impact measurement.
- EcolabcoreGlobal leader in sanitization powering r.World's wash hub technology. Provides proprietary cleaning solutions and quality assurance protocols for safe, sustainable sanitization.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
r.World | Reuse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Revino: Oregon-based reusable wine bottle and cup service for wineries and events with regional reverse-logistics infrastructure. Comparable reuse-as-a-service model with regional/emerging overlap on the venue and event vertical.
- Vessel: Reusable cup platform for venues and events with deposit-return app and wash logistics. Comparable product offering to r.World but with smaller scale and primarily tech-forward go-to-market.
Direct peers
- Algramo: Operates a reusable packaging-as-a-service platform with reverse-logistics wash infrastructure for foodservice and consumer brands. Direct competitor to r.World in the reusable cup/foodware reuse-as-a-service category, though more focused on retail refill and Latin America.
- Turn Systems: Reusable cup service for venues, stadiums, and events with reverse logistics and washing infrastructure. Direct competitor in the reusable cup-as-a-service space targeting sports and entertainment venues.
- Globelet: Reusable cup and foodware operator serving sports stadiums, festivals, and universities across North America. Closest direct competitor to r.World in the venue reuse category, with comparable wash-hub model and stadium partnerships.
- Muuse: Reusable cup platform for events, stadiums, and foodservice with smart-tracking technology. Direct competitor to r.World in reusable cup-as-a-service for venues, with overlapping customer segments in sports and live events.
- Repurpose (formerly Known Objects): Reusable foodware service for festivals, stadiums, and corporate campuses using a returnable cup system. Operates a comparable reuse-as-a-service model with venue focus, overlapping with r.World in the live-events vertical.
Regional players
- Cup Club: Reusable cup service for events and venues using smart-cup tracking and wash logistics. Comparable reuse-as-a-service model but primarily operating in the UK rather than competing head-to-head with r.World in the US.
Others
- ClosedLoop Partners: Investment firm and ecosystem builder in the circular economy and reusable packaging space, listed as a r.World partner on its website. Not a direct competitor but an adjacent capital and advisory player in the same reuse ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Aramark (Sustainability/Reuse Programs): Largest US concessionaire and a current r.World channel partner, with the resources to build an in-house reuse solution at its venues. A potential competitor if Aramark elects to internalize reuse, currently an important GTM channel for r.World.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
r.World | Reuse social profiles
Digital presencer.World | Reuse compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
r.World | Reuse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
r.World | Reuse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
r.World | Reuse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
r.World | Reuse 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 r.World | Reuse
What does r.World | Reuse do?
r.World provides reusable cups (r.Cup) and foodware (r.Ware) on a rental basis to sports venues, music venues, arenas, and corporate campuses, bundling delivery, pickup, washing, and sanitization at regional Ecolab-certified wash hubs. Customers also receive the proprietary r.Turn platform for inventory tracking, on-site bins, signage, staff training, and monthly environmental impact reports. The service is sold as a multi-year subscription with volume-based pricing tied to single-use items displaced.
Is r.World | Reuse a public or private company?
r.World | Reuse is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was r.World | Reuse founded?
r.World | Reuse was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is r.World | Reuse based?
r.World | Reuse is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does r.World | Reuse make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Reusable Serveware Rental is the primary driver. The others are turnkey Program Services and sustainability Fee.
Who are r.World | Reuse's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Revino and Vessel. Direct peers are Algramo, Turn Systems, Globelet, Muuse and Repurpose (formerly Known Objects). Cup Club is listed as a regional player. ClosedLoop Partners is listed as an others. Aramark (Sustainability/Reuse Programs) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does r.World | Reuse have an API?
No public API is recorded for r.World | Reuse.
What industry is r.World | Reuse in?
r.World | Reuse's product category is Reusable Serveware & Circular Logistics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIANAE, Reusable Packaging & Refill Systems (Returnable Transport Items, Deposit/DRS Ops), with a secondary code of IMALAMAE, Reusable & Refill Packaging Systems (Returnable Packaging, Refill-at-Home/In-Store). Its NAICS code is 812332 and its SIC code is 5040.