MUST Technologies Ltd.

What MUST Technologies Ltd. does

MUST Technologies Ltd., operating commercially as MUST Reusables, is a Mississauga, Ontario-based private corporation that sells a patent-pending reusable container system for the takeout food industry. Originally incorporated in 2001 for engineering project planning, research and development, and intellectual property protection, the company pivoted in 2019 toward circular-economy solutions following a Greater Toronto Area climate rally and now operates under the MUST Reusables brand.

The company's core offering is the MUST System, a QR-coded container tracking architecture that converts any takeout container into a reusable, deposit-refund-enabled asset. Each container receives a label bearing a unique container ID and customized QR code that links to a cloud-hosted database (running on Amazon and Google Cloud platforms) containing deposit amounts, refund processes, food preparation details, health warnings, and nutritional values. The system also tracks per-container reuse cycles to enable businesses to rank container reusability against initial cost, and supports cross-restaurant container returns and shared drop-off locations. Products include printed QR labels on clear or white waterproof film, blank label sheets for laser printing, PDF images for self-printing, an SGS-partnered nutritional lab testing service, and cloud data memory subscriptions currently offered free of charge. The company is also developing a branded container line in non-problematic plastic, glass, and grade-304 stainless steel.

MUST Technologies generates revenue through three primary streams: hardware sales of QR labels and label media (packages ranging from $16.26 to $508), professional services billed hourly at $249 for consulting and $149 for data entry, and a not-yet-monetized cloud data memory subscription for active container records. Go-to-market is direct e-commerce via the company's own website (musttech.com / testing.musttech.com), supplemented by a free pilot program for the first 30 restaurants in the GTA that includes data entry services, complimentary labels, public acknowledgment, and pre/post surveys. The company is recognized by Environment and Climate Change Canada for proactive preparation for the federal single-use plastic ban, and serves a single vertical—takeout food establishments—in a single geographic market (Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada). No external investors, parent company, or institutional funding are disclosed; ownership is concentrated in three co-founders (Kim-Chi Tran as CEO, Truc Tran-Ngoc as President, and Kim-Lan Tran as CFO).

Name

MUST Technologies Ltd.

Legal name

MUST Technologies Ltd.

Website

https://testing.musttech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

MUST Technologies Ltd. (MUST Reusables) sells a patent-pending, QR-coded reusable container tracking system and related labels and professional services to takeout food businesses, currently piloting with the first 30 restaurants in the Greater Toronto Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reusable Food Packaging Technology

NAICS

Packaging and Labeling Services (56191)

akta.pro primary industry

Reusable Packaging & Refill Systems (Returnable Transport Items, Deposit/DRS Ops) (EUAIANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reusable Packaging & Container Return Programs (On-site) (BPABALAJ), Food Storage Containers (Disposable & Reusable) (CRAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Reusable container systems
• QR code tracking
• Food packaging solutions
• Takeout container management
• Circular economy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Mississauga

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. MUST Labels Sales: Sale of QR code labels (printed or blank for self-printing) that enable containers to be tracked within the MUST system. Labels are sold in packages of various quantities for clear and white film options.
2. Professional Services: Consulting services ($249/hour) and data entry services ($149/hour) to help restaurants implement the MUST system quickly. Also includes nutritional value lab-test services through SGS partnership.
3. Data Memory Space: Memory space for active reusable containers on cloud platforms. Currently free of charge but noted that future costs may apply as database size increases.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MUST Technologies offers the patent-pending MUST Reusables System, which enables takeout food businesses to convert any food container into a reusable, trackable container using QR-coded labels and a cloud-based database. The system automates deposit/refund processing, tracks container lifecycle cycles for reusability ranking, and provides consumers with food preparation, health warning, and nutritional information via QR code scanning. The company also sells printed/blank labels in various formats, provides consulting and data entry services, and offers cloud data memory subscriptions for active container records.

Product overview

MUST Technologies Ltd. offers a comprehensive reusable container ecosystem for the takeout food industry. The core offering is the patent-pending MUST System, which allows food establishments to convert their own containers into reusable containers through QR-coded labels. The product portfolio consists of two main categories: (1) MUST Labels including printed QR code labels on clear/white film, PDF images for self-printing, and blank label sheets for laser printers; and (2) MUST Services including cloud-based data memory for container tracking, consulting and data entry services, and nutritional lab testing via SGS. The company is also developing a collection of branded MUST Containers (plastic, glass, and stainless steel) planned for future release. The system enables businesses to implement deposit-refund programs, track container reusability, provide consumers with food information via QR scanning, and participate in circular economy practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MUST Reusables System A patent-pending system that converts any takeout food container into a reusable, trackable container using QR-coded labels linked to a cloud-based database. The system manages automated deposit/refund processes, tracks container reusability cycles, stores container and material information, and provides consumer access to food preparation and nutritional information via QR code scanning. Designed for restaurants and foodservice businesses in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
• Printed Labels With QR Code On Clear Film Durable clear film labels with individualized QR codes printed on waterproof material, designed for permanent application on containers, boxes, and bottles to make them reusable within the MUST system. Label size is 1-1/2" x 2-3/4" rectangle. Sold in packages of 100, 250, or 1000 labels.
• Printed Labels With QR Code On White Film Durable white film labels with individualized QR codes printed on waterproof material, designed for permanent application on containers, boxes, and bottles. White film guarantees problem-free QR code scanning and can be used with any container type. Sold in packages of 100, 250, or 1000 labels.
• PDF Image for Laser Printing of 10 Labels per Sheet Customized PDF image file for printing 10 labels per sheet on a laser printer using white or clear film. Each label bears a unique container ID and customized QR code, intended for affixing to a single food container to make it reusable. Priced at $2.00 per PDF image.
• Blank Sheet of Clear Film Labels for Laser Printer Avery blank sheets of durable clear film for laser printer, containing 10 rectangle labels (1-1/2" x 2-3/4") per sheet. Labels are manufactured using high-quality materials and adhesives providing waterproof, permanent application. Sold in packages of 10, 25, or 100 sheets.
• Blank Sheet of White Film Labels for Laser Printer Avery blank sheets of durable white film for laser printer, containing 10 rectangle labels (1-1/2" x 2-3/4") per sheet. White film guarantees problem-free QR code scanning and can be used with any container type. Sold in packages of 10, 25, or 100 sheets.
• Data Memory Space for Active Containers Annual cloud-based database memory space for tracking active reusable containers, with databases running on Amazon and Google cloud platforms. Tiers available for 100, 200, 500, or 1000 active containers. Currently free of charge.
• One Hour Consulting Services One-hour consulting session with MUST experts to assist takeout food businesses with implementation of the reusable container system and staff training. Priced at $249.00 per one-hour session.
• One Hour Data Entry Services One-hour data entry session with MUST professionals to set up and configure the reusable container system for food businesses. Priced at $149.00 per one-hour session.
• Nutritional Value Lab-Test Services Nutritional analysis and testing conducted by SGS lab to establish or confirm nutrient content (including vitamins and minerals) of food products. Provides globally-trusted, ISO/IEC 17025 accredited testing results for customer-facing nutritional information displayed via the MUST system's QR codes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Saves up to US$22,000 annually on food packaging cost for small businesses
• +4 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SGSsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSGS provides nutritional analysis and testing services for MUST system users. With nutritional experts and ISO/IEC 17025 accredited testing labs, SGS performs and reports nutrition values properly. They offer global/local service coverage for food businesses using the MUST platform.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Algramo: Algramo is a Chilean-founded reusable packaging company offering refill and reuse systems for food, beverages, and household products, operating across Latin America, Europe, and the US. Comparable to MUST for its deposit/refill mechanics and restaurant-channel focus, though Algramo has broader product coverage (beverages, cleaning products) and is more advanced in scaling.
• Muuse: Muuse operates a smart reuse platform for cups, containers, and packaging with QR-code tracking and deposit/return logistics across multiple Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets. Highly comparable to MUST's QR-coded reusable container concept with cloud tracking, though Muuse is more established internationally and focuses on both cups and food containers.
• DeliverZero: DeliverZero is a reusable takeout container service operating in NYC and other US cities, partnering with restaurants to replace single-use clamshells with durable returnable containers. It is the most direct comparable to MUST Technologies — same vertical (restaurant takeout), same reusable-container-with-deposit model — though DeliverZero uses its own proprietary containers and operates in US markets rather than Canada.
• Returnity Innovations: Returnity provides reusable shipping and packaging solutions for ecommerce and food delivery, including returnable takeout containers and delivery boxes. Comparable to MUST for reusable food/retail packaging, though Returnity focuses more on shipping/logistics applications and operates at a larger scale with retail and logistics partners.
• GO Box: GO Box is a Portland, Oregon-based reusable takeout container service providing closed-loop polypropylene containers to restaurants and foodservice operators in the Pacific Northwest. Direct competitor to MUST in the takeout-reusables vertical with similar deposit/return economics, though operating in US markets with proprietary containers rather than MUST's open-label retrofit model.
• CUPCAKE (Closed Cup) / CupClub: CupClub operates a smart reusable cup and container system with IoT-enabled tracking for coffee shops, quick-service restaurants, and corporate offices, primarily in Europe. Comparable to MUST for its smart-tracking reusable container approach, though CupClub's initial focus was coffee/quick-service cups before expanding into broader containers.

Regional players

• ReCircle: ReCircle operates a reusable packaging system for restaurants and food delivery in Kenya and East Africa, providing deposit-based containers to foodservice operators. Comparable to MUST for the reusable takeout container model with refundable deposits, but operates in East Africa rather than North America and uses proprietary containers.

Others

• RePurpose Global: RePurpose Global is a plastic-action platform that helps brands and consumers fund plastic-waste removal and reduction. Related ecosystem participant addressing the same single-use plastic problem MUST targets, but operates as a plastic-credit/certification platform rather than a reuse-system operator.

Broad incumbents

• Loop (TerraCycle): Loop, operated by TerraCycle, is a global reusable packaging platform that partners with major CPG brands and retailers (Tesco, Carrefour, Kroger) to offer products in durable, returnable containers. Comparable to MUST as both operate reusable/returnable container systems with deposit/refund mechanics, though Loop is far larger, focuses on retail CPG rather than foodservice takeout, and uses proprietary containers vs. MUST's open-label approach.

Emerging players

• Huskee (HuskeeSwap): Huskee offers reusable coffee cups (and HuskeeSwap, a cup-return service) for cafes and coffee chains using durable, food-safe materials. Comparable to MUST for the reusable container/deposit return model in foodservice, though Huskee specializes in coffee cups rather than broader takeout food containers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 MUST Technologies Ltd.