Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors presented by Atlantic Packaging
Join industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers as we explore the future of packaging through the lens of sustainability. Hosted by Cory Connors, an industry expert with over 25 years of experience, and presented by Atlantic Packaging, the leader in innovative sustainable solutions, we dive into what’s working (and what’s not) from cutting-edge materials to circular design strategies that can reduce waste and protect our planet.
Each episode blends real data, expert insights, and a dose of fun to help you stay informed and inspired. Whether you're in the packaging industry or simply passionate about sustainability, this podcast is your weekly go-to resource for making smarter, greener choices.
I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.
This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.
Cory Connors:
Welcome to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors. Today's guest is Mr. Andor Reti, all the way from over in, Europe. He is the co founder of Respray. How are you, sir?
Andor Reti:
Perfect. Thank you very much. Thank you for having
Cory Connors:
me. Yeah. I'm honored to have you on. I'm excited about this sustainable, alternative that you and your team have created. can you tell us a little bit before we get into that? Can you tell us about your background and how you got into packaging? Yes,
Andor Reti:
of course. the interesting thing is that, we didn't cut into packaging, before, our project. So this is our first dive into the whole industry. So we are completely outsiders. And we started working on this project, back in when we were at the first year of university. So actually, this is, this is our first job with my co founder. Sample. So we didn't have any previous background in this field. we just saw a huge environmental challenge and we just wanted to find a solution.
Cory Connors:
I think that's amazing. And congratulations on choosing an industry that can change the world. Well done. So where did you go to college or university?
Andor Reti:
Actually, I'm still attending. I have one course left. I'm studying at the technical university of Budapest, studying mechanical engineering, and my co founder is, he has actually finished his studies now and he studied finance. at the finance Budapest Corvinus, university. we didn't get to know each other in university. We were classmates in high school and that's when we, that's when we became, good friends. And we had a common passion for, sustainability and the environment and also for entrepreneurship and startups. And that's, and the combination of these two, were the connection that, that made us start this whole project.
Cory Connors:
That's great. and again, congrats for coming up with a very cool, innovative solution to, to packaging. without further ado, can you tell us about what is respray solutions and how does it work?
Andor Reti:
Yes, of course. resprays is the world's first refillable spray deodorant solution that consists of a refill station and the refillable can. These refillable cans are powered by compressed air instead of propane, butane gases, and these refill stations are placed into drugstores and supermarkets where customers themselves can do the refill process. So the refill process is very easy. the customer goes into shop where these refill stations are located, chooses a, his favorite scent that is available in this refill format, removes the overcap and the actuator places the can inside the machine and the machine does the refill process. In just around 45 seconds, it is. It is also important that we do not own our own deodorant brand. We provide the solution as a kind of service toward the existing deodorant bands who would like to launch this kind of new, sustainable and innovative packaging solution
Cory Connors:
to the market. That's incredible. So this, how many times could something like this be refilled? is it as many times as they can or how does that work? Is there a limit?
Andor Reti:
Yes, there is a limit currently. So now we only allow, use, five time usage of a single can. That is because These components that we use are originally designed for a single use , so single lifetime. And, and what we have found is that after six or seven, refills, there is a small noticeable change in the performance of these valves. So once you have, depressed the actuator, then it will continue spring just for a little bit longer, one or two seconds, maybe. And of course, that's something that we cannot allow to happen to the consumer. So that is why we put a limit on the maximum number of free fields.
Cory Connors:
But that's only 20% of the packaging needed for those five. So that is wonderful. Yeah. Yes. E
Andor Reti:
e, exactly. So it was very important for us to see the overall impact of our solutions. So we did very detailed calculations on our, solution. and we have found that with, with. In the five time usage and by replacing compressed, by replacing, liquefied propellants to compress gases, we can reduce the overall, emissions by around 80%. Wow.
Cory Connors:
This is great. what an innovative solution. And it sounds like maybe you're up for some awards. you've, have you applied for some, sustainability awards or anything yet?
Andor Reti:
we are very excited to see, the industry's reaction. To our, innovation
Cory Connors:
this year. So this will be premiered at Paris packaging week. Is that right? Yes. Yes, exactly. Wonderful. I'm excited to, to meet you there in person. And, yeah, this is really, innovative solution here. can you tell us about, what you're looking forward to at the event?
Andor Reti:
we always. We are always very excited to attend these, international, packaging or, dispenser industry events because we are outsiders who just entered the industry. we started working in the industry 3 years ago, but we officially entered only. early this year when we launched our solution. So we are always very happy to see new faces and get to know, all the other, members of this industry. So we are mostly looking for new connections and new partners because. as I've mentioned, we are still very newcomers, even though we have some great partners already. and we are also, excited to, to meet them in person as well, because in most cases, nowadays we only meet, in Skype or Teams, and it's always better to meet in person.
Cory Connors:
I agree. Yeah, it's, nothing better than being able to shake somebody's hand and meet him in person. That's a big deal. That's exactly my favorite part of these, these shows like Paris Packaging Week to get to actually meet people and, spend time with them in person. So I have a big question for you. why is sustainable packaging like this so important?
Andor Reti:
The way I see it is there's no other way for the industry to go forward. it's, of course it's, in the past years, it was more like a nice to have thing and also, and. An added value from the companies to the customers that they can reduce their own environmental footprint. But what we are starting to see is that it's more, it's getting more like a requirement from the consumer side. consumers start to realize that, it's getting more like a requirement from the consumer side, for companies to, to innovate, and provide new sustainable solutions. so we see that the only way forward is to do for all companies to make their products more sustainable. And what we believe is that we can only make, what we believe is that we can only, succeed with sustainability if we provide customers or consumer solutions that enable them to reduce their own environmental footprint. me. With minimal compromises, so we, we cannot tell them to not use, any kind of dispensing or spray packaging solution because they simply won't do that and continue using that. what we believe is that we should offer them an option to use their favorite packaging format, but in a more sustainable format or way.
Cory Connors:
That's a great point. Yeah, we shouldn't have to inconvenience people to make this, more sustainable. they're going to be coming back to the store anyways, and this will be a fun thing for them to do at the store is to be able to refill their own, deodorant, container.
Andor Reti:
Yeah, that's something that we also realized that, consumers nowadays are used to interacting with machines. So it's, maybe back a few years, it would have been something, very new and strange for many users. But nowadays it's only very natural. So most of the cashiers now are automated and we are used to, to interacting with all different kinds of machines. and our refill station is just a new kind of machine that. They can interact with and we tried to make the refill process very simple and very easy to learn. So we haven't, seen any kind of challenges on this field on educating the customers because they just go there and find out how to use it.
Cory Connors:
And it sounds like you already have some partners on board, some deodorant brands that are excited to work with you.
Andor Reti:
Yes, correct. we have a great partner, with Rossmann Hungary. So we have launched our first pilot project in cooperation with Rossmann Hungary in January. this year, so 2023, exactly on the day of the ADF, there is 23. So that's why we couldn't attend. And many of our partners couldn't attend our lunch because that was on the same day. And, And now we have three refill stations installed in, drugstores in Budapest. And currently, we are refilling Rossmann's private label Izana, and we have developed three new, fragrances that are available in a refillable format. So all three refill stations have now three different deodorant choices available. Oh, that's
Cory Connors:
amazing. Are the, is it three different nozzles or is it the same? You just push a button and it.
Andor Reti:
Dispenses the one, it's the same nozzle and, the refu station identifies each can individually and, it knows oh, which, sent to fill into the can according to the, barcode that's on the can. oh, that's incredible. We can decide which,
Cory Connors:
So it's, it's, consumer friendly, or as we like to say, idiot proof.
Andor Reti:
it's absolutely the proof. So there's no way, for the consumer to, to like miss anything on the refill process. So all of these steps are double check and, there's really no way. To for anything to go wrong on the consumer side. So we have tried really hard to make something wrong, but, it's, it's a bulletproof, regarding the refill
Cory Connors:
process. What a brilliant concept. Are there other products that could utilize this idea?
Andor Reti:
For sure. So we are actively looking at the different, all the different, spray dispensing solutions that could be refilled. Maybe
Cory Connors:
hairspray or mousse or something like that.
Andor Reti:
Yes, exactly. But what we have, seen is that, deodorants. And the biggest part. So I believe they, they account for more than 50 percent for, spray packaging format. So that is why we wanted to start with this product category, because this is how we can have the biggest impact and the biggest reach among customers. But later on, we will, the other products that are available in this format. So yeah, of course we are always looking for new solutions. You've
Cory Connors:
got your work cut out for you. It sounds like very exciting opportunities. Well done. congratulations to you and your business partner. how do people get in touch with
Andor Reti:
you? they can always find us on our website. That is, respray solutions. com and, and of course, via email as well, that is info at respray solutions. com. And we also have a LinkedIn, Facebook page, and an Instagram as well. there are many, multiple platforms that anybody can get in touch with you, and we are always happy for new, opportunities.
Cory Connors:
Very exciting, and I, look forward to meeting you in Paris, and, just a couple months here. Be here before we know it.
Andor Reti:
Absolutely. Looking forward to meeting you as well. Well,
Cory Connors:
thank you so much Andor, Appreciate it. Thank you very much.
