Dishwashing station for reusable dishware
New service is good news for fast food restaurants
Around the world, governments are working on guidelines and laws to increase the eco-friendly credentials of packagings in all areas of life. In France, disposable packagings for meals consumed in fast food restaurants have been banned since 1st of January 2023. The switch from disposable packagings to reusable dishware is set to save around 150,000 metric tons of waste per year. MEIKO and Tri-O Greenwishes Groom (TGW) are working hand in hand on this mission. Operations manager Anne-Sophie Colin is head of project implementation at subsidiary Aquarys.
Dishwashing service for fast food restaurants
Aquarys meets the demand of restaurants in La Défense shopping centre and the surrounding area for a constant supply of clean reusable dishware. The M-iQ Cup, a flight type dishwashing machine from MEIKO, plays a pivotal role here. Measuring 14 metres in length and 1.90 metres in height, it cleans 15,000 dishes per hour. The reusable containers are transported from the restaurants to the dishwashing station via cargo bike. They are then placed onto serving trolleys to be rolled into the dirty side, where employees arrange the glass, plastic and stainless steel containers on the dishwashing machine’s finger belt.
Clean and eco-friendly washing performance
The M-iQ consumes 35% less water than comparable machines on the market through a combination of high washing pressure, demineralised water and a special filter. The outstanding energy footprint is down to the M-iQ energy concept: heat convection is redirected to the pre-wash zone, cooling the steam and vapour while heating the incoming fresh water. This halves the electricity required compared with other dishwashing solutions.
Optimum drying of reusable dishware
The MEIKO ACTIVE detergent provides optimum cleaning results, even with difficult-to-handle dirt. The rinse aid, part of the MEIKO ACTIVE product line, has been specially designed for plastic dishes. The same goes for the drying modules and the vibration drying zone, where drops of water in and on the dishes are effectively vibrated away. What appears on the other side of the machine, in other words the clean side, are dishes that are not only clean, but also ready to stack for packing and transport.
Efficiently maintain the heat energy in the washing process
Highest standards of hygiene and working conditions
A wall separates the clean and dirty dishes to ensure they never come into contact. “We adhere strictly to HACCP standards, which are reviewed every month. We and the independent institute are very satisfied with the washing result,” says Anne-Sophie Colin. The temperature throughout the space is kept at a constant 20 degrees – regardless of the time of year. A special ventilation system connected to the dishwashing machine ensures an ergonomic indoor climate and thus optimum working conditions.
Tackling a mammoth task together
“The need for a constant supply of reusable dishware washed to a hygienic standard will continue to grow,” says Anne-Sophie Colin, and she has made arrangements for this. A second dishwashing line can be quickly installed beside the first one, in order to soon supply all of Paris with hygienically clean reusable containers. “We are pleased to be meeting an urgent need with our service, and taking an important step together with our customers towards a circular economy. With the M-iQ from MEIKO, we have the right solution and a trustworthy partner on our side. We look towards the future with anticipation and confidence, secure in the knowledge that we have everything needed to tackle this mammoth task.”
