Mr. Lid's new owner stresses sustainability in plans for growth

A chance meeting on a Florida golf course and a dissatisfaction with his career in tech combined to give Pall Musaev a new focus on life: plastic containers.

But not just any plastic container.

Musaev has been the owner of the Mr. Lid brand of plastic storage containers for almost a year now, buying the brand from Sussex IM Inc., which continues to manufacture the product line in its namesake town in Wisconsin.

Musaev is a one-man show working to breathe new life into a brand that grabbed people's attention a decade or so ago with distinctive television commercials and a unique name.

"We want to turn Mr. Lid into this fun accessory," he said. "Part of what we're doing is educating the consumer here that this single-use is a thing of the past. Let's focus on reusability. Reusability has its own value quotient."

Mr. Lid, truth be told, had been stalling under Sussex IM's ownership when Musaev met a company official by chance on a Florida golf course. One round of golf, and then another one later, put a bug in Musaev's ear about possibility of buying the brand.

But it was not until about 18 months later, after a lot of back-and-forth in his mind, that he pulled the trigger. The decision came after reading about a competitor reporting difficulty connecting with younger consumers, Musaev said.

Mr. Lid, he thought, could do just that. Mr. Lid has a sustainability message for those coveted younger buyers. And, now, he had a clear reason in his mind to buy the brand.

Aside from the commercial potential, Musaev also sees joy in the brand, alternately referring to Mr. Lid as "Liddy" when he talks about his business. Along with traditional containers, the company also has just introduced inserts that allow them to become bento boxes, which keeps food separate and have become trendy with the lunchtime crowd.

"I went out with the intention of making Mr. Lid a fun brand," he said. "What I learned in the past year is there is a mission to accomplish."

Mr. Lid, which comes in nine different sizes and combines a storage container with a living hinge. The one-piece construction means lids are permanently attached, which eliminates the ever-too-common reality of lost lids.

Musaev sees the permanence of the lid as a sustainability story that plays particularly well with younger generations keenly aware of the role of plastics in today's society. Recyclability is great, and Mr. Lid's polypropylene containers are indeed recyclable. But Mr. Lid wants to lead with durability, longevity and sustainability as the company's message to consumers. Especially younger buyers.

"I'm trying to tell people that recyclability requires energy. What about just durability? What about just lasting? And I was trying to emphasize this point that a lot of the industry is focused on the recyclability of products and materials," he said. "Mr. Lid is coming out there saying, 'Look, yeah, recyclability is good. We're all about that. But why don't we look at making products that last longer.'

"We're making products that last longer, and I think that deserves a little emphasis," he said.

Keeping lids attached allows Mr. Lid to be used repeatedly, potentially allowing the container to last for years, Musaev said.

That is very different from the throw-away mentality that can be associated with inexpensive, two-piece plastic storage containers so commonly seen today.

This durability and longevity message is at the core of Mr. Lid's message, and Musaev said the past year has seen sales increase by 10-fold. A trio of appearances on the "Steals & Deals" segment on ABC's Good Morning America as well as the company's presence on Amazon.com have helped boost sales.

Mr. Lid eventually would like to be on retail shelves, but that will take time as the owner grows the business. "We want to do it slow and steady. We want to be in retail. We want to be there," he said. "We just want to do it the right way."

Increasing sales will allow Mr. Lid to lower prices that will give the company a chance to better compete in a retail environment. But make no mistake, Mr. Lid is not selling just on price. Musaev describes Mr. Lid as being "priced very much in the mid."

Along with consumer sales, the company also is exploring the possibility of working with other manufacturers to use Mr. Lid as a container for their products. The introduction of in-mold labeling also will allow the containers to stand out.

Musaev's ownership has changed corporate structure from 2023, becoming Mr. Lid Inc., a corporation that allows outside investors to get involved.

"We're now opening up the cap [capital investment] table. ... I keep saying 'we.' But it's just me. It's just me when I say we. I'm talking about me and my dog," Musaev said. He also utilizes outside contractors for help in areas including public relations and marketing to help with his work in the business.

The brand owner said progress has been made in the past year as "everything's working," but he also recognizes there can be more. "We're seeing the signals we need to get to that next level. We are looking for and speaking to right now some capital partners to help us grow," he said.

Musaev had spent more than a decade as a tech entrepreneur — both as a consultant and an investor — when he decided he wanted a change. While some tech investors have become household names and billionaires, Musaev is not one of them. He self-funded his investments by continuing to work in the field to earn money. But it was a grind, and his time as an early-stage investor in tech start-ups primed him to look to other markets and eventually find Mr. Lid. His discovery came while playing golf and having a chance meeting with an official with Sussex IM who casually mentioned the company was considering next steps for Mr. Lid.

Sussex IM, in announcing the sale in late 2023, indicated the company wanted to concentrate on the company's core business of injection molding and not brand marketing needed for Mr. Lid.

"I think it just got lost in a in a big industry," Musaev said about the brand. "I just don't think it was marketed enough."

And many consumers, who once only sought value pricing for their plastic containers, are now more open to a more sustainable option, he said.

"If we can make the brand a little more approachable, a little cool for a 25-year-old to pull out a 'Liddy' from their bag ... then we know we're on to something," Musaev said.

People have gotten use to reusable bags and water bottles. Why not plastic containers? he said.

"We want to turn Mr. Lid into this fun accessory," he said. "Part of what we're doing is educating the consumer here that this single-use is a thing of the past. Let's focus on reusability. Reusability has its own value quotient."