STARBUCKS has launched what it says is the ‘most exciting’ iteration of its iconic white cup yet in Europe.
An ‘extensive’ R&D effort and ‘significant’ innovations in the cup manufacturing process has culminated in the replacement of the cup’s plastic lining with a mineral-based coating, whilst the single-use plastic lids have also been replaced with fibre alternatives.
The cup remains in the familiar Starbucks design, but the coffeehouse chain said the cups are now certified home compostable and widely recyclable – all whilst delivering the same drinking experience for customers.
Starbucks worked with Wales-based Transcend Packaging for over three years to develop the new cup – with dozens of designs, prototypes, and thousands of hours of testing undertaken during that time.
The new patented Qwarzo coating found on the inside of the hot cup and outer layer of the lid is silica-based and provides a waterproof barrier that Starbucks explained is highly resistant to heat.
Silica is a globally-used mineral found most commonly as an anti-caking agent in household products such as flour, protein powder, and spice mixes. It was first approved as food safe by various regulatory authorities in the 1960s.
The cup is created using traceable wood fibre from Northern European forests together with the coating developed in Brescia, Italy. The cup was designed and constructed at Transcend’s factory, located in Caerphilly, Wales.
Through a phased approach, the new hot cup and lid solution will gradually be rolled out in stores across select European markets this year – beginning in ten initial countries including Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria this month, and already live in Spain and Hungary, before coming to the UK and Ireland later this year.
Duncan Moir, president of Starbucks EMEA, said, “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.
“I am really proud of the team that has worked to develop this innovative solution, and I am so excited to see it in the hands of our customers in Europe as they enjoy their coffee. 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.”
Vincent Mooij, director of Circpack by Veolia, added, “We’re pleased to see Starbucks taking tangible steps toward reducing plastic waste by removing the plastic lining from their cups. One of the challenges with plastic-lined coffee cups is that they produce waste during the pulping process, resulting in lower yields at paper mills and more waste ending up in landfills or incinerators. By making it easier to process through existing recycling infrastructure, this innovation supports real progress in reducing plastic waste while improving material recovery.”
Lorenzo Angelucci, CEO, Transcend Packaging, commented, “Starbucks and the Europe go-to-market commitment it has made in this new technology allows us to demonstrate the transformative potential of the packaging solution we have developed. We welcome Starbucks courage in innovation to redesign and totally transform its packaging production processes, creating a premium new product while removing the plastic lining in coffee cups and swapping to fibre lids.”
