Mississauga university student one of the brains behind reusable takeout food container idea

A University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) student has co-founded a successful startup business that provides more than a dozen restaurants with reusable takeout food containers for their customers.

Mo Tahvili, who’ll graduate UTM this spring with a bachelor of science degree, and partner Erika Reyes, the fledgling company’s president and co-founder, run Inwit (along with a third partner), a Toronto startup that offers waste-free takeout.

As reported by the U of T News, the company, which as of now partners with 16 Toronto restaurants to offer takeout meals in reusable stainless-steel containers, was a recent finalist in U of T’s Adams Sustainability Innovation Prize competition.

“I’ve always had an interest in doing something that has a good cause and will benefit the future, whether it is sustainability or diversity and equity,” Tahvili told U of T News.

Inwit also offers a sustainable catering option for larger group orders.

For customers who order their food in the reusable containers, they’ll receive “points” for returning the containers within seven days. Those points, as with numerous other business models, can later be redeemed at participating restaurants.

Reyes said she wanted to start the business as a way to address climate change.

She and initial partner Clement Bureau guided Inwit in its pilot phase and then eventually connected with Tahvili in 2021 to complete the business team.