Novolex alleviates pandemic hygiene and waste concerns with patented cutlery dispenser

09 Feb 2022 --- Waddington North America’s (WNA) Novolex has been awarded a new patent for Cutlerease, a dispenser that offers customers one disposable utensil at a time for enhanced hygiene and waste reduction.

With the patent now secured, Novolex customers can lease or buy Cutlerease dispensers – facilitating the technology’s adoption by foodservice establishments.

“Every day, we are investing in the people and technology that can propel our industry forward in innovating [environmentally] sustainable products. Cutlerease reduces waste by allowing the consumer the ability to take only the specific utensils they need from the dispenser,” explains Janis Kovarovic, senior product manager of WNA, to PackagingInsights. 

“Our loading process features our patented cutlery stacks, which allow operators to refill the dispenser without touching the cutlery.”

The patent comes amid heightened waste and hygiene concerns. Innova Market Insights revealed that 10% of global consumers strongly agree and 32% agree that COVID-19 has increased their packaging waste due to a rise in home deliveries. 

Furthermore, the market researcher found that 37% of global consumers agree and 25% strongly agree that the protective function of product packaging has become more important since the pandemic.

System benefits
Novolex lists Cutlerease’s benefits as the following:

• Cutlerease has no trays or levers, which further cuts down on the transfer of germs. Guests only touch the handle of the utensil that they choose. 
• The system is now offered with single-, double- or triple-tower bases to hold a full complement of forks, knives and spoons or only one or two utensil types. This allows foodservice operators to mix and match utensils. 
• The system’s compact footprint saves significant counter space and reduces refill frequency by holding up to 360 pieces of cutlery.
• No batteries or electrical outlets are required, allowing operators to place Cutlerease wherever guests are served.

How Cutlerease works
Customers withdraw the utensil from the dispenser by pulling on the handle of the spoon, fork or knife they want. After the utensil is removed, another pops out, ready for the next guest. 

The new patent covers the Cutlerease refill system, which maximizes efficiency and hygiene in loading replacement utensils. It features refill packs that make restocking easy and does not require employees to touch the actual cutlery. The dispenser also works with compostable cutlery from Novolex’s Eco-Products brand.The patent covers the Cutlerease refill system, which features refill packs and does not require employees to touch the cutlery.

“Customers take exactly what they need, only touching the utensils they will use, creating less waste and more peace of mind, ” says Bill Gallop, senior product design manager at WNA.

The patented system features refills that consist of a stack of utensils with an adhesive strip applied to one side. This system makes it possible to refill in two steps: load the stack in the tower and peel the adhesive down. Cutlerease refills are compactly bundled to reduce the case size, which in turn takes up less space in storage. 

The dispenser is a “breakthrough” in efficiency, convenience and sanitation compared to current refill technologies on the market, which commonly use boxy cartridges or complex wraparound bands that can cause system jams. 

Kovarovic says Cutlerease is also available with “compostable cutlery made with renewable, plant-based materials from our Eco-Products brand which are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute.”

When asked what other utensils besides cutlery the dispenser can be used for, Kovarovic explains “at the moment we’re focused on cutlery applications for Cutlerease, but we’re always thinking of new technologies to support our customers and their consumers.”

Pandemic germ concerns
Kovarovic highlights Cutlerease provides foodservice operators with a hygienic and safe way to serve utensils to their customers. The “no lever” pull design allows customers to touch only their piece of cutlery when retrieving from the dispenser.

“It also stands out over other dispensers because it does not use a tray to catch dispensed cutlery, which typically becomes soiled and is rarely cleaned,” she adds. 

“The importance of products such as Cutlerease truly came to the fore during the pandemic, and we will continue to see a demand for products that reduce waste but also keep hygiene top of mind.”

Bridging consumer and industry gaps 
During Cutlerease’s development, Novolex spent a significant time identifying the gaps in the market and paying attention to the consumer user experience.

“The development team worked to ensure that our product bridged the gap on how consumers were using utensils in food establishments and how this product could solve existing issues with cutlery dispensers,” notes Kovarovic.

“We wanted to ensure our product met the needs of both the purchaser, and the end user. We adapted the product during the trial and testing stage, as we saw opportunities for improvement after further consumer input, which greatly contributed to customer and consumer satisfaction.”

By Natalie Schwertheim