An argument that is often heard when hoteliers discuss adding sustainable practices to their properties is that the costs outweigh the benefits. That is not the case, however, when it comes to replacing single-use plastic bottles for bath amenities like shampoo, conditioner and liquid hand soap with refillable bulk dispensers.

The hospitality industry generates substantial plastic waste due to the frequent disposal of the single-use bottles, as guests may only use the product once or twice during their stays. With the use of refillable bulk containers, costs are decreased because, as is the case with most products, buying in bulk is more economical.

But one of the drawbacks of using the bulk dispensers is that refilling them can be labor-intensive, time-consuming and often inconsistent.

The Liquifill system can refill up to four bulk dispensers at a time.

Hotel Emporium, a manufacturer of hotel amenities, says that its new product, Liquifill, can solve all of those problems.

“A massive percentage of hotels are switching from the little toiletries to large bottles,” said Andy De Silva, CEO/cofounder, Hotel Emporium. “Refilling the bottles is truly a sustainable way to do things, but there are a lot of gaps to fill to make it better.”

In most cases, the bulk dispenser bottles are manually refilled. “The bottles have a really small mouth, and the housekeepers have to refill them by using squeeze bottles,” he said. “The fastest time I have seen for a 12-ounce bottle to be refilled is about 90 to 100 seconds—and sometimes it can take up to four minutes to fill a bottle because the lotions and conditioners are thicker liquids. It is super-unhygienic, too, because people are holding the bottles and have to wipe them down.”

After seeing this, De Silva realized that “there has to be a better mousetrap for refilling the liquids.”
He said that the pandemic expedited his thought process on the system because so many hotels looking to save money switched to bulk amenities.

After two-and-a-half years of research and finding the right inventor and manufacturer, the Liquifill system was born. It can fill bulk containers in six seconds and 12 to 15 seconds at its slowest, according to the CEO.

The system automates the refilling process, with the refillable bottle connecting to a pump which connects to the bulk gallon jug. Using smart technology, the device can be programmed to fill and refill using its touchscreen pad. It is available in three types, with single-bottle, dual-bottle and quadruple-bottle filling where each bottle is connected to a different type of liquid.

With the tough labor market, De Silva stressed that one of the most important factors of the system is that it creates a great deal of labor savings, noting, “The convenience factor is massive.”

As a former hotel employee who had to work the graveyard shift, he sees the Liquifill system as something that make a tedious task a little less so.

“They answer phone calls, run items to rooms, do the laundry, etc.,” he said. “Filling bottles is another headache, so this will eliminate the human factor there, too.”

While the system is not been sold to any hotels at press time, De Silva said that interest has been “through the roof.”