What is the first thing you do when you check in at a hotel? While some might check out the fittings like the beds and the space, others might want to soak in the ambience. 

But ever wondered what makes a hotel feel a certain way – say like a home away from home?  

The answer perhaps lies in the details – say the fragrance, amenity kits, door gifts and other finishing touches, and that is precisely the work of our guest for today.

Founded in 2004, GUAVA Amenities is not only a major player in the guest amenity space, but a world leader in Sustainable Guest Amenities. The firm curates and designs unique wet and dry amenity, gift and ancillary solutions.

It prides itself on pioneering an ecosystem business model that enables the world’s largest hospitality chains, airlines and cruise lines to reduce plastics by up to 90% and costs by over 20% by decentralising production and distributing directly without intermediaries. 

But what is an ecosystem business model exactly? And why is the firm hinging on sustainability as part of its value proposition and to what extent does that benefit top and bottom lines?

On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Gabriel Tan, CEO, GUAVA Amenities.