The European Vending Association is confident that a thorough information scheme will bring added value to the vending industry and we would agree there are a whole host of reasons FOR the use disposable cups, just as long as we recycle them.

The disposable cup has undergone a massive image overhaul in recent years, taking powerful brand messages and placing them into the palms of those that count. Vending International investigates...

The Paper Cup Company, experts in the field of disposable paper cups, helps customers to maximize sales with the right product and use bespoke printing with their own cup design to increase sales. The company has experience in many areas such as coffee to go, cold drinks, vending, sampling, retail, food to go, medical and industrial. Keen to discuss the environmental aspects of using paper cups, The Paper Cup Company is fully up to date with all the latest environmental developments and can advise accordingly.

The company's cups are used by Leeds University, Robinsons Drinks, Aldi, Virgin and others. Although a popular ‘stock design' is available from The Paper Cup Company, it produces between 5 and 10 new bespoke designs a week. That's at least one new design a day - proof that the market for bespoke disposables is huge at the moment. Established in 2005, The Paper Cup Company's sales were up 40% this year on last. Why? I caught up with Sales Director Mark Woodward to find out...

"Fifteen years ago, the coffee-to-go market within the office and factory environment was dominated by low cost instant coffee served in plain plastic cups. This created a real image problem; it was only 10p but it was hardly drinkable! What the Industry came to realise was that people will pay a real price for coffee, but it has to be served in packaging that indicates a premium drink. White collar workers are happy to pay a bit more for quality and the market has expanded as a result. What you serve your drinks in can strengthen your corporate identity. Paper cups with logos and slogans on are very effective marketing tools indeed."

Time is money

Washing up mugs and making a round of tea for the office takes time, time that could be spent generating revenue for a company instead. There is also the hygiene issue to contend with - if one person in the office has flu, the chances of it spreading are relatively high as it takes more than a splash of soapy water to get rid of germs.

Successfully making the case FOR the use of disposables, Mark added that he has companies that promote recycling on their cups with slogans saying things like: ‘Please recycle all white paper goods'. This is where disposables start to become really effective - you can use them to reaffirm that yours is a company that cares about the environment and its employees. "When you have guests coming in, it shows that you are trying to move things forward in terms of the environment. That cup will sit on someone's desk for at least 10 minutes which allows plenty of time for your branding and corporate message to make a good and lasting impression," said Mark.

Mark also explained that there is a trend for smaller businesses wanting to ‘appear big' by rolling out their corporate image onto branded cups. In a call to action, he said: "Trade upmarket, instead of opting for the 20p downmarket version, choose a 12oz paper cup, fill it with good coffee, cover it in your branding and sell it for a £1. Once you have found that market, we can help you add value to what you do."

Developing materials

Ray McNamara, UK Vending Sales Manager, Foodservice Division, Huhtamaki (UK) explained his company's stance on the development of materials: "In addition to being involved with recycling schemes, Huhtamaki's BioWare bio-coated cup can be composted as part of an existing Save a Cup scheme. Bio-coated cups are part of the company's successful BioWare range of environmentally-friendly packaging, which composts to soil within 60 days under ideal conditions and which is certified in accordance with EN13432 - the European norm for compostability of packaging. The cup's innovative bio-coating allows it to be composted in industrial composting facilities and is perfect for serving ethically sourced and Fairtrade beverages as it reflects the qualities of the drinks on offer.

"Paper offers premium presentation, appearance and superior quality and can be easily customised thanks to its excellent printing properties, making it great for branding. In addition, as the popularity of the UK's ‘grab-and-go' takeaway options has increased - especially with the consumption of cappuccino and latte style drinks which is now being replicated in the vending market - the growth of paper vending cup usage to create a more premium beverage offering is more common," Ray adds.

Biopac is another company that has developed biodegradable and compostable alternatives to petrochemical based plastics and polystyrene; from carrier bags to cling film, cutlery to cups, medical trays to plant pots, they are very much against non-degradable plastics.

Another example is Garraways, who launched an eco friendly 100% biodegradable coffee cup, ‘ideal for those eco friendly establishments where quality shouldn't be justified by price'. Made from plant extracts (PLA) and no oil, this cup is truly biodegradable.

Plastic Cups

RPC Tedeco-Gizeh is a leading plastic packaging manufacturer, serving a wide range of customers with rigid plastic packaging - from the largest European producers of consumer products, to smaller national businesses. The Vending and Drinking Services division delivers solutions to the hot and cold beverages market in vending, semi vending and drinking systems. There are four ranges to choose from, including: B'Cool - high insulation products, for high end vending and Cup2Go applications; B'Top - high end vending cups that come with a full service package; B'U -  personalised to enhance your product/company branding with embossing, colour or printing; and B'fair - vending and drinking cups that offer a fair price and service. RPC's cups are currently being used in a range of applications, from offices to factories, on the move and in airline catering. All of the company's cups are recyclable (where facilities exist) as they are made from PS or PP.

UK Sales and Marketing Manager, Sara Williams explained the benefits of RPC's products and services: "Our cups are an environmentally conscious and lower cost alternative to paper. They are fully recyclable under the Save-a-Cup scheme and we can offer various personalisation options such as embossing, printing, unique colour cups and bespoke packaging.

"When the credit crunch hit we benefited as the end user traded down from the high street coffee house, opting instead for a high quality vended drink. Many of our vending operators saw this opportunity to improve their offering and raise the standard of the ‘vending machine experience', by taking advantage of the personalised cup to advertise their brand or company, and by offering premium ingredients. Additionally, they were safe in the knowledge that the quality of rim and consistency of drop that is synonymous with an RPC Tedeco-Gizeh plastic cup, were still present."

With such a vast array of recycling options available, the accusations of waste levied at the disposables market are fast diminishing. What's more, with the recession forcing companies to look at more intelligent and cost effective marketing techniques, sharing your company message over coffee has never seemed more attractive.

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