"Out of the Box": 10 of Our Best-Kept Secrets

It's a pizza box, 4 plates and a storage container. Oh my! 

Friends of GreenBox all know and love our eco-friendly "genius pizza box" (the one that's changing the world, one pizza box at a time ☺), but we're betting even our biggest fans will learn a little something today. 

So, since we just feasted on a large pie and we're feelin' good (and in a partial food coma) we thought we'd share some of our best-kept secrets. It's time we let them out of the box, dontcha think?

Here goes nothin'!

1. Even celebrities love the GreenBox. Back in 2009, A-list actor and Twitter aficionado Ashton Kutcher tweeted about our product with one simple word: "Smart." For a young start-up, the moment was huge. Six years later and we still brag about it to our friends. 

2. The GreenBox wasn't a gift from the Gods. It was actually invented by our co-founder, William Walsh, back in college. Living in a frat house left a lot to be desired (including clean dishes), so Will began tearing pizza box tops into plates. One X-acto knife and 100 pizza boxes later, Will came up with a use for the bottom of the box, too: a compact storage container for leftovers. It was then and there that the GreenBox design was born. 

3. The GreenBox may be American-made, but it's available to pizzerias all over the globe. In fact, the GreenBox is making waves "down under" through our partner in Australia (heck yeah, mate!), as well as in Central America, the Middle East and, in coming months, Europe! We just couldn't keep this game-changer to ourselves. ☺ 

4. In 2009, GreenBox was founded by three best friends - and today, we are infinitely proud to call one of those founders our President. Jennifer Wright-Laracy left her stable finance job behind to pursue her dream of entrepreneurship (and pizza obsession). Her story was recently spotlighted on CNBC's "Escaping the Cube." How's that for an awesome leader?

5. Our GreenBox demo video currently boasts over 5.6 million views. That's five times the number of people living in the state of Rhode Island. Just let that soak in for a minute. 

6. The GreenBox was named one of Time Magazine's Best Inventions of 2009. Check out GreenBox creator Will Walsh spotlighted in all his pizza-loving glory. This photo will hang on our wall for years to come, and we couldn't be prouder.

7. Arturo's Pizzeria in Maplewood, NJ and the Big Apple's Pizza by Certe were the first users of the GreenBox - and have both stayed loyal to us from the beginning. Their unwavering faith in our product has helped make GreenBox the new standard of pizza boxes. How lucky are we? 

8. Following a nomination by Whole Foods, the GreenBox was the winner of the Responsible Packaging Award in 2010 (psst: The GreenBox is in half of the Whole Foods' across the U.S.). 

9. We've met some cool people along the way. After being selected by Wharton as one of the "Top 25 Most Promising Start-ups," we were lucky enough to snap this photo with CNBC Host Donny Deutsch at the award ceremony. Don't worry - we made sure to reel him into the GreenBox fan club.

10. We've made the media rounds. In 2014, we were in the hands of Rachael Ray, on set of The Chew, and spotlighted by Today.com, The Huffington Post, the LA Times, BuzzFeed and more (really - the list is crazy long). Then, just a few months ago - the GreenBox was featured on ABC's "Shark Tank" and CNBC's "Power Lunch." It's been one heck of a whirlwind, and we're thrilled to have you along for the ride. 

Will: Our Co-Founder & Friend, Always

It’s been an incredible year for Ecovention. Mentions of the GreenBox have been ever-present, from talk shows to radio shows, from blogs to beyond. It’s thrilling, humbling, and everything we ever wanted. But through it all… we can’t help but think of Will.

Three years ago this November, we lost our beloved co-founder & GreenBox creator, William Walsh. He was a passionate leader, a caring father, and a forever friend; he was a human being we were lucky to know. His genius was contagious. His smile and wit lit up the room. He was a man with soul, an unwavering spirit, and an unforgettable presence.

The world just hasn’t been the same. We’re missing him always.

But the truth is, he hasn’t left us. With every moment of success & happiness, we feel him. We heard him cheering us on when the GreenBox made headlines in The Huffington Post. We felt his hugs & high-fives when we were featured on segments of The Chew, Rachael Ray & MSNBC. We saw his soulful eyes light up with pride when the GreenBox made waves in Buzzfeed & The LA Times. He’s here, every step of the way, pushing us forward toward his dreams – and ours.

So today, we want to thank him. For the invention he brought to life, for the way he’s changing the world, and for the lives he has touched. He always wanted to make a difference… and we’re immensely proud to be a part of his vision, realized. 

This is only the beginning.

Huff Po… Ready, Set, Go!

We might have a tiny office, but we’ve got a big press book.

It’s been quite a month for GreenBox – a wonderful whirlwind – and we’re still waiting for someone to pinch us.

In just under a week, our eco-friendly pizza box made headlines in some of the top news sites in the world; from The Huffington Post to Buzzfeed, The LA Times and Thrillist, and the hits just kept on coming. Practically overnight, we doubled our Facebook "likes”, and our GreenBox demo video climbed to over 2.5 million views. Could we ask for more?

We’re flattered, humbled, and still jumping for joy. We’ve even gone global – with hits in Spanish, French & yes… Malaysian outlets. We’re feelin’ the worldly love.

There’s been a ton to keep up with, so we thought we’d put together a press roundup for our loyal GreenBox fans. We included some of our favorite comments from followers, too (you guys really know how to make us smile).

We know, we know. The list is long… and awesome. But we couldn’t have done it without you.

The Huffington Post

“The best thing to happen to pizza since pizza.”


BuzzFeed

“You know a product is a good idea when you are surprised it didn't already exist.”

The LA Times

“Simple, but exceptional.”

Thrillist


“Here is the kind of innovation I can get behind!”

Bustle




“A mad stroke of genius!”

Ryot




“Pizza was 100% perfect, now it's…110% perfect”

Inhabitat & their awesome demo video!




“WHOOO-HOO! Give that man the NOBEL PRIZE! Brilliant!”

Brandpackaging




“William Walsh is a cardboard boss!”

Small Biz Trends




“Smart and much needed design.”

Opposing Views




“Smart - somebody had their thinking cap on. All pizza places should use these.”

Daily Times


“Bravo! This is amazing. I hope to see it in every pizzeria in the world.”

Fine Dining Lovers




“Thanks for showing us all hope is not lost for our planet.”

Gastronomia y Cia




“You sir, are a genius!!!! Thank you for helping our planet be a little better, one pizza at a time.”


El Popular




“The sort of innovation that needs to be celebrated.”

El Huffington Post




“I see this catching on in a big way.”

Pulzo




"This is the greatest idea, and I'm glad inventors are thinking inside, as well as outside, of the box."

Melty Food




“This reinvented pizza box is positively genius.”

Huff Post Quebec




“Amazing competitive advantage. Pizza owners take note!”

Malaysian Digest


"This. Is. Awesome."