Starbucks to launch home compostable takeaway cups in Europe
Starbucks has partnered with Mestä Board, Transcend Packaging, and Qwarzo to release a home compostable cup and lid that replaces the cup’s plastic lining with a mineral-based coating and the single-use plastic lid with a fiber alternative.
The hot cup is certified home compostable and is said to be widely recyclable. The rollout will take place in ten European countries, including Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Portugal, and Hungary. It will come to the UK and Ireland later this year.
Duncan Moir, president at Starbucks EMEA, says: “Our hot cup solution is the first introduction of this emerging technology applied to a coffee cup at scale. Starbucks’ new hot cup in Europe provides a widely recyclable and home compostable alternative for when customers don’t have a reusable cup.”
“We are keen to learn more from this rollout and remain focused on introducing more sustainable innovations to meet the shifting requirements of markets worldwide.”
“A pan-European” effort
Starbucks highlights that a common challenge with plastic-lined coffee cups is that they are difficult to recycle, as the plastic lining needs to be separated from the paper cup.
The coffee company highlights the “pan-European” drive to design and manufacture the compostable solution. The cup is made from wood fiber supplied by Mestä Board, and the mineral coating was developed by Qwarzo, an Italian-based coating specialist.
The takeaway cup is home compostable with a mineral-based coating and fiber-based lid. Qwarzo’s coating is found on the inside of the hot cup and the outer layer of the lid. It is silica-based and offers a waterproof, heat-resistant barrier.
The cup was constructed and designed at Transcend’s factory in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, Wales, UK.
Lorenzo Angelucci, CEO at Transcend, says, “Starbucks and the Europe go-to-market commitment it has made in this new technology allow us to demonstrate the transformative potential of the packaging solution we have developed.”
“We welcome Starbucks’ courage in innovation to redesign and transform its packaging production processes, creating a premium new product while removing the plastic lining in coffee cups and swapping to fiber lids.”
“Iconic design”
Starbucks indicates how the new cup retains the coffee company’s iconic style and design, but now offers conscious consumers a more eco-friendly option.
Recently, Starbucks China redesigned its ready-to-drink Refreshers drink range to feature bold patterns that appeal to “self-expressive, independent young consumers.”
Starbucks said the range is inspired by current “semiotic trends” in packaging design, which incorporate abstract patterns and colors that prompt optimism and self-expression.
