Mursalin Pathan – Content Writer
Pune, India | August 25, 2025– Starbucks has reinvented its iconic white cup with a strong focus on sustainability. This transformation goes far beyond appearance. Starting this month, customers across ten European nations will enjoy their coffee lattes, cappuccinos, or other hot beverages from a newly designed cup. This cup significantly reduces environmental impact compared to traditional takeaway cups.
This initiative is a collaborative effort involving Starbucks EMEA and partners: Transcend Packaging from the UK, Qwarzo® from Italy, and Metsä Board based in Finland. Together, they introduced Europe’s first hot cup and lid combination that is both home-compostable and widely recyclable. This marks a pioneering step for Starbucks in the region. It also sets a higher sustainability benchmark for the food and beverage sector, which has long struggled with complex cup materials and limited recycling options.
One key improvement is the elimination of the conventional polyethylene plastic lining inside the cup. Instead, Starbucks adopted an innovative mineral-based silica coating developed in Brescia, Italy. This food-safe coating replaces plastic and creates a barrier that maintains the cup’s functionality. It keeps hot drinks secure without leaks while enabling easier composting and recycling. The same silica coating applies to the lids, which are crafted from renewable pulp. These fiber lids are biodegradable and designed to resist heat and moisture without bending or deforming. This was achieved entirely without glue or plastic.
The new cups are manufactured at Transcend Packaging’s facility in Ystrad Mynach, Wales. They use traceable wood fibers harvested sustainably from Northern European forests. This strong focus on sourcing ensures the cups integrate smoothly with existing European recycling and composting systems. Customers can conveniently dispose of both the cup and lid in regular household recycling bins or compost piles without extra steps or confusion.
The European rollout starts in ten countries: Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Portugal, and Hungary. Starbucks plans to widen the distribution to more EMEA markets by early 2026. This practical solution is especially valuable for customers who occasionally forget their reusable cups. It provides an environmentally friendly alternative that aligns with Starbucks’ sustainability commitments.
This innovation journey began over three years ago with extensive research and development. Starbucks and Transcend Packaging rigorously tested numerous designs. They invested thousands of trial hours to develop a cup that maintains the quality and experience customers expect without compromising environmental goals or altering in-store service routines.
Duncan Moir, President of Starbucks EMEA, referred to this launch as “the first of its kind to scale.” He expressed pride in the team’s accomplishment. The cup is widely recyclable and suitable for home composting, an ideal solution when reusable cups aren’t an option.
This development addresses a longstanding challenge for the industry. Most takeaway cups are lined with plastic, which prevents recycling and composting. Separation technologies are rare and costly. As a result, millions of cups end up as landfill waste or are incinerated. Starbucks’ new cup sidesteps this issue by fitting instantly into Europe’s existing waste management infrastructure. It requires no specialized processing or alterations.
The shift has garnered praise from industry experts. Vincent Mooij, Director of Circpack at Veolia, applauded Starbucks for cutting plastic use and improving cup recyclability. Lorenzo Angelucci, CEO of Transcend Packaging, also commented on Starbucks’ innovative drive and courage to pioneer sustainable packaging. Meanwhile, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation views this move as a crucial milestone toward advancing the circular economy, especially when paired with Starbucks’ ongoing efforts to encourage reusable cup adoption.
Starbucks long advocates bringing personal reusable cups and still offers ceramic cups inside stores. The new sustainable cup enhances these efforts by providing a responsible backup option that fits within broader environmental goals.
Additionally, Starbucks’ innovation aligns with evolving European Union and UK regulations promoting compostable, recyclable, and circular packaging solutions. The mineral silica coating—already used safely in food products like flour and spices since the 1960s—plays a pivotal role in the cup’s performance. It delivers heat resistance without sacrificing environmental safety or recyclability. The patented Qwarzo® technology ensures the coating’s effectiveness while maintaining green credentials.
As of August 2025, Starbucks’ launch of this cup represents one of the most significant evolutions in its packaging history. While the cup remains visually recognizable with its trademark white background and green siren logo, it now symbolizes a story of sustainability, partnership, and cutting-edge European innovation.
Ultimately, Starbucks offers more than just coffee; it delivers an experience. With this new cup design, that experience now consciously prioritizes planet-friendly solutions—setting a new standard for the coffee industry and reinforcing Starbucks’ commitment to environmental stewardship.
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