Circular Philadelphia is proud to announce The Rounds as the newest Silver Sponsor to help our organization and the Greater Philadelphia area continue advancing the circular economy in our region.
The Rounds is on a mission to help everyday consumers reduce their waste at home. They believe convenience doesn’t have to come at a steep price to the planet. And so they’ve built a sustainable refill and delivery service to provide consumers with all their everyday needs, but without the unnecessary packaging waste typically found in modern retail and e-commerce.
“Sustainability is really our focus every step of the way,” explains Head of Market Sales Anthony Jacobsmeyer. “And so that starts by sourcing products in bulk to avoid as much waste as possible in the supply chain.”
One example is the 55-gallon drums of olive oil and hand soap that are used to fill smaller bottles for individual consumer use. The Rounds also partners with local producers and small businesses in Philadelphia, and in their other markets of Washington D.C. and Atlanta, to reduce their impact on the supply chain.
“We love being a part of a community of like-minded businesses and individual members who are all working toward this same goal of making the world a better place to live, and hopefully for a much longer time, by reducing waste and focusing on reuse.”
– Anthony Jacobsmeyer, Head of Market Sales
Unlike most delivery services, The Rounds uses a scheduled delivery model, delivering on the same day every week to maximize route efficiency, deliver with fewer emissions, and reduce perishable food waste. Because they use a two-way delivery model, all reusable packaging from previously delivered products get picked up and are returned to their warehouse for sanitization and reuse.
The Rounds became a Silver Sponsor of Circular Philadelphia because they are a Philly-born company that cares a lot about their hometown. Like Circular Philadelphia, they believe a more sustainable economy is possible in Philadelphia, as well as other cities all over the country.
“We’re in a few other markets as well,” says Jacobsmeyer, “and we really appreciate all the work that Circular Philadelphia is doing to advance the circular economy. We love being a part of a community of like-minded businesses and individual members who are all working toward this same goal of making the world a better place to live, and hopefully for a much longer time, by reducing waste and focusing on reuse.”
For an early-stage startup like The Rounds, growth is paramount. Being a sponsor has allowed them to share their innovative system with many people, particularly through events and one-on-one interactions with members. When The Rounds attends Circular Philadelphia events, they are excited by the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with mission-aligned people and, Jacobsmeyer says, it has been awesome for the team to see that we are making an impact, and see there are other people who are also working toward making an impact.
Along with membership growth, The Rounds continues to expand its product offerings – with over 2000 everyday essentials, local favorites, and other grocery products now available. Additionally, The Rounds offers pickup services so members can easily compost their food waste, recycle hard-to-recycle items (like textiles, plastic film, eWaste, batteries and other items that can’t be put in your blue bin), and even have packages dropped off to UPS, FedEx, or USPS to cut down on emissions by leveraging the trips that The Rounds delivery team is already making. They are excited to partner with local Philadelphia recycler, and Circular Philadelphia partner, Rabbit Recycling to make sure all the pickup items are recycled the right way.
It’s not just individual consumers who can benefit. The recently launched ‘The Rounds for Business’ program helps offices reduce their waste and easily stay stocked with snacks, beverages, and other essentials they use week to week. Some Philadelphia-area offices have already jumped on board and are enjoying the service so far.
From Circular Philadelphia’s standpoint, it’s been inspiring and energizing to see The Rounds’ growth in the region that proves a circular lifestyle is not just possible, but a better deal for people, planet, and profit than the conventional way of buying products. And, just like The Rounds reverse-logistics, Jacobsmeyer says it’s a two-way relationship.
“It’s been exciting to interact with Circular Philadelphia members and partners and give them a way to embrace circularity in their everyday lives. We’ve seen them also share with their friends and family so the reach extends beyond the Circular Philadelphia community.”
If you want to give The Rounds a try, visit www.therounds.co/circularphiladelphia to access an exclusive free trial.
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