The Good Cup Company Cup-Winners Cup

Recently SPN became aware of a new start-up company that has begun to take the industry by storm. The Good Cup Company subseqently answered our written-questions about their passion for sustainability and the success of their global product launch. We asked co-founder Cyril Drouet some revealing questions - the answers are here!

How ‘sustainability-aware’ would you say your company is and what recent measures have you taken to improve your overall contribution to the circular economy?

“Sustainability-Aware” is our lodestar for The Good Cup. Our environmentally-friendly product is the result of years of research and development to create an innovative and sustainable answer to the unconscionable waste of the singleuse plastic cup industry. As more companies and distributors adopt The Good Cup in the months and years to come, the world can tackle plastic pollution with affordable and plastic-free solutions that also enhance the consumer experience.

“ Our aim is for The Good Cup to eliminate single-use plastic lids forever ”

In relation to sustainability, what would you say have been your most important milestones?

Since launching across several international territories in August 2022, estimated sales are 100 million cups over the next 2 years. That output would eliminate the waste of 350,000 KG of plastic lids and 100,000 KG paper cup plastic coating. And that’s just to start. Our aim is for The Good Cup to eliminate single-use plastic lids forever.

In your opinion what have been the most significant developments in terms of recycling and bio-degradable packaging?

The biggest overall development is that people are finally paying attention to sustainability in a significant way, opening their minds to new and more eco-friendly ways to package and recycle. In terms of the single-use cup industry, previous attempts at creating integrated lids have not been consumer-friendly, and in many cases were unsafe due to the potential of the cups opening up and spilling extremely hot beverages on customers. The Good Cup provides a new, elegant way to enjoy hot and cold beverages in an environmentally-friendly way. The cups are ergonomically designed to fit the contours of the user’s mouth, ensuring a pleasant and satisfying drinking experience.

What do you consider to be the most promising market opportunities for your company at this time?

The market opportunities are robust across the food service industry. The potential uses not only include drinks for coffee shops, restaurants, and distributors – but also for everything that is normally packaged in a cup and sealed with a plastic lid. The more people’s hands we can get The Good Cup into, the more eyes will open to the vast array or market possibilities.

What are the key drivers for change in your industry sector and how much is the on-going pressure for greater sustainability and recycling affecting your productivity?

The shift towards greater sustainability at large is certainly encouraging for us, but companies are in the business of bringing in profits. So one of the key reasons why The Good Cup stands alone among other plastic-free single-use cup ventures is that The Good Cup is financially viable in addition to being environmentally viable. The Good Cup is a premium product at a standard price. The cups are cheaper than the combined cost of a paper cup and plastic lid. And because no separate plastic lids are required, switching to The Good Cup translates into a 40% reduction on storage space, transportation volume and carbon footprint.

As we are keen to understand more about the latest trends shaping the packaging industry in your sector, what do you consider to be the most significant recent developments?

Globally, more and more governments and municipalities are forcing the issue when it comes to single-use plastics. The UK, parts of Canada and the United States are just a few of the examples of single-use plastic bans going into effect in recent months and years. And those types of bans are trending up. The world is waking up to the dangerous and irresponsible plastic waste we’ve been contributing to for decades and is now taking action.

Can you describe your product portfolio and its sustainability credentials?

The Good Cup is made from bio-based 100% certified home compostable paper, it is anticipated to be the most impactful sustainable paper cup to date, with the potential use not just for drinks, but for everything that is normally packaged in a cup and sealed with a plastic lid.

Here’s how The Good Cup’s design stands alone:

• Fully recyclable, repulpable and compostable

• Paper with bio-based coating

• Secure, locking integrated lid prevents spills

• Curved shape perfectly aligns with mouth contour

We currently have The Good Cup in 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz and 20 oz.

Are you planning the launch of any new products in the foreseeable future that you can tell us about?

As the demand is growing from North America, we are currently developing a 24 oz size.

How has the Covid 19 pandemic affected your production and manufacturing capabilities?

Covid 19 pandemic didn’t affect us much as we were still in the final phase of the design tweaks and development for production. Our only challenge was that most shops were closed and couldn’t operate business as-usual, so it was difficult to present a new sustainable and cost-saving cup design when they were under financial pressure of not operating properly.

Today, these same shop branches / distributors see The Good Cup with fresh eyes as the pandemic crisis is over… The future is bright again for them and they see their future business with The Good Cup.”