INOKEM, a Portuguese biotechnology company, developed for Auchan a line of ultra-concentrated and biodegradable detergents that is already on sale in 27 hypermarkets of the chain. It is called BEE and stems from a simple principle: instead of taking home a detergent already diluted, the consumer buys the concentrate and adds water. The range, exclusive to Auchan, is presented under the motto “Small in size. Giant in cleaning.”
The products come in 500 ml packaging and are diluted in any reusable spray bottle that already exists at home. According to the company, the cost of ready-to-use detergent starts at €0.30 per liter, and the fact that each bottle yields many liters significantly reduces the plastic that ends up in the trash. INOKEM argues that, thus, the ecological choice no longer weighs on families’ budgets.
The line has four products for daily tasks. Clean Bee is a neutral-pH all-purpose cleaner with a floral aroma that yields up to 20 liters of ready-to-use product. Strong Bee is a kitchen degreaser with an apple scent, suitable for stovetops, ovens and exhaust hoods, and Glass Bee is an odorless glass cleaner, also neutral pH, that acts on limescale and humidity. Nomold Bee, for direct application, serves to prevent and eliminate fungi and mold.
“The partnership with Auchan is the natural step to materialize our vision,” says Maria Alenquer, CMO of INOKEM, who describes Auchan as “an innovative banner committed to betting on sustainable brands with real value for the consumer.” The executive wants to “demonstrate the real yield of the ultra-concentrated formulas of the BEE range and prove that it is possible to reduce plastic consumption without having to give up savings or efficiency in the home routine.”
INOKEM was already present in mass distribution with the LIM range, developed for Lidl, and the entry into Auchan comes shortly after the company announced an investment of €2.5 million from the Impact Innovation Fund, managed by 3xP Global. The money is aimed at accelerating Iberian expansion, strengthening research in green biochemistry, and consolidating presence in large retailers.
Founded in 2007, the company develops bio-based detergents with enzymatic action for consumers, businesses and retail, under the motto of using less to achieve more. It has a quality management system certified to ISO 9001:2015, the European Ecolabel on the product GREENY, and a network of more than 200 stores in the country, more than 80 of which offer packaging refill. In 2024 it won the National Sustainability Award 20|30, in the Circular Economy category.
The range was presented to customers on October 10, at the Auchan in Almada, in a morning with a workshop, practical demonstrations and offers, for which INOKEM invited content creators in the areas of lifestyle, organization and home maintenance.
