The GRIN story
GRIN was founded in Oslo in 2018 based on the idea that there must be a more sustainable alternative to single use shopping bags in the retail sector. Several concepts of a complete system for a reusable shopping bag were tested with local partners in Oslo.
To solve different challenges with the reusable bag system, new technical solutions had to be developed. One challenge was to make it easy and convenient for the end users to return the bag after use, while at the same time not putting an extra burden of work on retail staff. GRINs first smart collection system was born; a collection box equipped with sensors combined with a QR based application system that allowed end users to return a used bag twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It allowed us to verify which item had been returned, when and where it had been returned, and by whom. Whereafter we could safely pay back the deposit. All without incurring any extra work for the retailers providing the reusable bag to their customers.
Fast forward a couple of years, and that smart collection system became a lot smarter. In fact, it became the centre piece of GRIN. Instead of providing a specific reusable product as a service, we now provide smart collection as a service. Enabling others to focus on designing, developing, and implementing circular products and business models. While we ensure they get their products back along with valuable collection and user data.
From local mom and pop stores to global corporate giants. After starting out with local retailers, we are now collaborating with some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies and are continuously establishing new partnerships and collaborations with circular start-ups, municipalities and NGO:s from around the globe. All united in the quest for increased circularity, and with a shared need of collecting a product from consumers; whether it’s a high-tech medical device or a reusable take-away cup.
Fast forward a couple of years, and that smart collection system became a lot smarter. In fact, it became the centre piece of GRIN. Instead of providing a specific reusable product as a service, we now provide smart collection as a service. Enabling others to focus on designing, developing, and implementing circular products and business models. While we ensure they get their products back along with valuable collection and user data.
From local mom and pop stores to global corporate giants. After starting out with local retailers, we are now collaborating with some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies and are continuously establishing new partnerships and collaborations with circular start-ups, municipalities and NGO:s from around the globe. All united in the quest for increased circularity, and with a shared need of collecting a product from consumers; whether it’s a high-tech medical device or a reusable take-away cup.
Mission Statement
We work to accelerate the circular transition by helping companies and organisations get circular products back from consumers. Our cutting-edge technology enables smart, flexible, uninterrupted, and affordable collection of products, so that our customers can transform from linear to circular in a cost effective and data-driven manner.
The Bigger Picture
As a company GRIN support the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals, and our activities can be directly
linked to targets defined specifically in the following goals:
Team
The GRIN team is a diverse group of people covering the entire technical scope of the solutions we are developing, and many years of accumulated experience from business development in both start-ups and large corporations.
Board of directors
Christian Dubrau – Head of Finance at Norfund
Christian Storm – CEO and Chief Investment Advisor at Bleke Invest AS
Daniel Millet – Co-founder and CBDO at GRIN
Janne T. Morstøl – CEO at Bliksund AS
Lars-Martin Berglund – Founder and CEO at GRIN