Breaking news for all sustainability visionaries and eco-believers! PepsiCo has begun offering five options of eco-friendly, recyclable and compostable cups to Foodservice customers in the US through company-owned and independent bottler distribution systems.

Photo: The front and back of new PepsiCo’s cups

The new offerings consist of fully recyclable clear plastic cups, including an rPET cup containing 20 percent post-consumer recycled content, as well as compostable paper cups and wax cups made with plant-based materials sourced from sustainably managed forests. Throughout the Foodservice facilities, customers in restaurants, stadiums and theme parks, as well as in colleges and universities will be offered the right green cup options.

The Pepsi-branded cups display engaging green imagery and clearly communicate the environmental benefit, stating “Wow, Our Cups are Fully Recyclable,” or a similar message respective to the materials used. The cups also encourage consumers to visit Earth911.com for information on how to properly dispose of materials in their local communities.

“The new cups are an advancement in technology, but also in the way we communicate,” said Margery Schelling, CMO PepsiCo Foodservice. “Customers increasingly are asking for environmental products that match changing needs, expectations and lifestyles. We want consumers to enjoy their favorite fountain beverages and feel good about the environmental impact of their purchases.”

The roll out of eco-friendly cups is aligned with PepsiCo’s global environmental goals and commitments, among them to reduce packaging waste, use rPET and renewable sources in packaging, and increase the national beverage container recycling rate. Specific examples of PepsiCo innovations with respect to beverage packaging include:

• The development of the world’s first fully recyclable «green» bottle made from bio-based raw materials.
• The Naked Juice reNEWabottle™ made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic.
• The Aquafina Eco-Fina bottle, the lightest bottle of its size among U.S. bottled water brands.
• The Dream Machine recycling initiative, which provides greater access across America to on-the-go recycling receptacles.