The Munich-based startup Koorvi has joined forces with the retail company Tchibo. Together, the two partners are launching a fully digital return and resale system for used fully automatic coffee machines on the market. Customers can now exchange their old machines for vouchers in the Tchibo online shop. The devices will then be refurbished and resold.
The entire process runs on Koorvi's software platform, which provides Tchibo with a scalable solution for processing and tracking returns, as well as for refurbishing and reselling the devices. The system includes a white-label returns portal, a resale shop, and a central dashboard for managing all processes.
The take-back campaign aims to establish a circular product flow that eliminates the need for additional new production. This extends the life cycle of the coffee machines and simultaneously opens up new marketing opportunities for Tchibo in the circular economy sector.
Scalable solution with a long-term perspective
Tchibo sees the program as a strategic instrument for sustainable value creation. Kristina Kölling, Head of Environment and Circular Economy at Tchibo, says:
"With this program, we demonstrate that sustainability doesn't have to be a cost factor—but rather a lever for new circular business areas and thus long-term value creation. By giving our coffee machines a second life, we close the loop—to the benefit of both the environment and the company."
The partnership is also a milestone for Koorvi. Startup specializes in digital solutions for the circular economy and offers brands an infrastructure that allows them to maintain control over the secondary market for their products.
"We founded Koorvi to make circular economy simple, scalable, and economically attractive. Our partnership with Tchibo shows what's possible when sustainability meets digital infrastructure,"
explained Andrea Schneller, CEO of Koorvi.
In the long term, the two companies plan to expand the program to additional product categories. For Koorvi, this means further positioning as a solution provider in circular trade – and for Tchibo, a concrete step toward greater resource conservation in its core business.
