"Choose reusable containers when ordering delivery"... Baemin launches reusable-container delivery in Cheonan

[Financial News] Delivered food will be packed in reusable containers, and artificial intelligence (AI) will check whether the used containers have been properly washed. Baedal Minjok is launching a reusable-container delivery service in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and expanding the service area to the Chungcheong region. The company has also built a smart washing center in Cheonan to manage washing, quality inspection and usage history through information technology (IT).
Baemin said on the 28th that it has built a smart washing center in Cheonan and started its reusable-container delivery service.
The smart washing center is part of a hub-based smart city project that Baemin has joined since 2024. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Cheonan have been promoting the project to address urban challenges such as the climate crisis and regional decline. Baemin has also taken part in efforts to build a smart city with an eco-friendly delivery value chain.
Baemin and Cheonan jointly built a smart washing center that manages the entire process through IT, including washing reusable containers, inspecting quality and tracking usage history. The eco-friendly startup Itgreen will oversee the center's overall operations.
Consumers can select reusable containers in the Baemin app, place an order, and then request container pickup by scanning a QR code after finishing their meal. Itgreen collects the containers and manages them through the smart washing center.
The smart washing center is equipped with an AI vision-based automated inspection system and a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)-based history management system. The AI system photographs washed containers and determines whether there is any foreign matter or damage. The RFID system tracks and manages each container's washing and usage history in real time. 
Baemin's reusable-container delivery service is currently available in 23 districts of Seoul, as well as parts of Gyeonggi, Incheon and Jeju. A promotion will also be offered to encourage wider use of reusable containers. Until Sept. 3, customers in the Cheonan area will receive a 10,000 won coupon on a first-come, first-served basis for reusable-container delivery orders of 15,000 won or more.
Kim Jung-hyun, head of sustainability management at Woowa Brothers, said, "We will continue to work closely with the government and local communities so that the reusable-container delivery service can take root as a way of life that practices environmental protection and resource circulation in local communities." 

[email protected] Choi Hye-rim Reporter