If you've visited a Tailgating Hall of Fame tailgate recently, you may have noticed something new among the grills, coolers, tents, and familiar gameday equipment.  Several of our  tailgates have been putting a new collapsible trash and recycling system to work, part of a partnership between the Tailgating Hall of Fame and EASE Containers of Marshall, Michigan.  Together, we've launched a pilot program that places the company's newest tailgating product into the hands of experienced tailgaters across the country, allowing them to evaluate its performance under real gameday conditions.  The concept is straightforward.  Every tailgate generates trash and empty bottles and cans, but managing that waste has rarely received the same attention as everything else that goes into building a great gameday experience.  EASE believes it has developed a better solution, and we're giving some of the country's most established tailgating crews an opportunity to put that claim to the test.

The product itself is surprisingly simple.  EASE manufactures lightweight corrugated waste stations that ship flat, take up very little storage space, and open in seconds using the company's specially designed Insta-Bottom construction.  No tape or complicated assembly is required.  The containers feature handholds for carrying, notches that secure the liner bags, and labels identifying trash and recycling.  The new Tailgate Trash and Recycling Essentials Kit includes five containers, liner bags, weather protection liners, and identification labels.  Each container can hold more than 125 empty cans, and the boxes are designed to be reused for multiple games when properly maintained.  For tailgaters accustomed to hauling bulky trash cans to and from the stadium, the advantages are easy to appreciate.  The same practicality extends to backyard barbecues, graduation parties, family reunions, birthday celebrations, and other gatherings where convenient waste collection can make cleanup considerably easier.

But the story behind EASE Containers is considerably more interesting than the boxes themselves.  To understand how the company arrived in NFL parking lots, you have to go back to Marshall, Michigan, where Jason and Katy DeVine began building their business in 1995.  Their roots were in the event rental industry, providing the equipment necessary for weddings, celebrations, corporate functions, and other gatherings.  Like anyone who has spent time organizing large events, they learned that some of the most persistent problems are also the least glamorous.  Trash collection was one of them.  Traditional rental trash containers were bulky, occupied valuable warehouse space, and consumed room inside delivery vehicles.  After an event, those same containers had to be collected, cleaned, and prepared for the next customer.  The DeVines recognized that there had to be a more efficient way to handle something that every event inevitably produced.

Their solution was to develop a disposable corrugated container for use within their own rental operation.  Rather than transporting stacks of conventional trash cans, they could store the flattened EASE boxes on pallets and carry far more of them in a delivery trailer.  Customers could purchase the containers as part of their event package, eliminating the need for the rental company to retrieve and clean them afterward.  What began as an internal improvement quickly demonstrated broader commercial potential.  The DeVines eventually established a wholesale operation, supplying EASE Containers to other businesses facing the same logistical challenges.  According to the company, its products have reached more than 2,000 event-related businesses, with approximately 78 percent placing repeat orders.  Its distribution has expanded beyond the United States into Canada and the Caribbean, an impressive reach for an idea developed by a family business in a small Michigan community.

Jason and Katy's entrepreneurial interests have extended beyond event rentals.  Over the years, their business ventures have included DeVine's Flowers and Botanicals and Petals and Pour Coffee Shop, each reflecting their willingness to explore new opportunities.  The flower business even inspired another adaptation of the EASE concept.  Anyone who has watched a florist prepare arrangements understands how quickly discarded stems, leaves, and greenery can accumulate around a workstation.  The DeVines recognized another opportunity to apply their existing container design, developing a version suited to the everyday needs of flower shops.  That willingness to identify a practical problem and adapt an existing solution has become a recurring theme in the company's development.  Rather than approaching every market with an entirely new invention, they have found ways to make a proven product useful to people working in very different environments.

Tailgating was another natural extension, particularly for Jason, an avid sports fan and coach who had spent plenty of time around tailgate parties and fundraising can drives.  He understood that collecting empty bottles and cans was a familiar challenge, whether the occasion involved a football game, a youth sports fundraiser, or a neighborhood gathering.  EASE developed its Boxes for Empties concept to address that need, eventually expanding into the tailgating kits now being introduced through our partnership.  It is an interesting connection because the company did not begin by studying the tailgating market from a distance.  The idea grew from firsthand experiences in the same kinds of environments where its products are now being used.

There is also something worth recognizing about the company's commitment to American manufacturing.  EASE identifies its Tailgate Trash and Recycling Essentials Kit as Made in the USA, an important distinction at a time when so many everyday consumer products arrive through overseas supply chains.  Its Michigan roots remain part of the company's identity, with operations based in Marshall and Jason and Katy still closely associated with the business.  The family-owned character of EASE is reflected in the way the DeVines describe its history.  Their products were developed to solve problems they encountered themselves, tested through their own operations, and expanded when other businesses recognized their usefulness.  Even as EASE has grown into a supplier serving customers across North America and beyond, that practical, entrepreneurial approach remains central to its story.

For the Tailgating Hall of Fame, this partnership presents an opportunity to connect an American family business with the people who understand tailgating logistics better than almost anyone.  Our participating tailgates are evaluating the stations over multiple games, considering everything from transportation and setup to capacity, durability, recycling, and cleanup.  Their observations will help determine how well the product fits into the demands of an NFL gameday and where improvements might be made.  We are also collecting photographs, videos, and feedback from the participating crews to document how the stations perform in actual parking lot environments.  It is a fitting collaboration between a company that built its reputation by solving everyday event problems and an organization dedicated to celebrating the people who have elevated tailgating into a tradition of its own.

We appreciate Jason and Katy DeVine and the EASE Containers team for their willingness to work with the Tailgating Hall of Fame and support this pilot program.  We also appreciate the THOF tailgates that have agreed to test the equipment and share their experiences.  There is a great deal to admire about a Michigan family business that took a simple idea, developed an American-made product, and found customers well beyond its hometown.  For anyone interested in learning more about EASE Containers, its tailgating kits, or how these collapsible waste stations might work for your next football game, backyard party, or family gathering, look for the EASE advertisements throughout the Tailgating Hall of Fame website.  Those advertisements will direct you to additional product information and purchasing options.