Food giant Nestlé has joined an initiative to build a fully recyclable and compostable to-go cup. Its goal is to make 100 per cent of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.
Nestlé has announced that it is joining the NextGen Consortium, an international, multi-industry group that aims to advance good packaging alternatives. Its first initiative is the NextGen Cup Challenge, which challenges startups, suppliers and industry experts alike to develop a fully recyclable and compostable to-go fibre cup. The cup should be designed for us with both hot and cold beverages.
The challenge was launched in October 2018 and will announce this month up to six winners who will be invited to enter an accelerator program to help scale up and commercialize their solutions. According to Nestlé, winners will receive up to $1 million in funding to help advance their ideas.
“Solving the issue of plastic waste requires collaboration among many different stakeholders,” said Stefan Palzer, Chief Technology Officer at Nestlé. “We are excited to join the NextGen Consortium and Cup Challenge as it brings together start-ups, industry partners and suppliers to find an industry wide, global packaging solution for sustainable to-go cups.”
NextGen Consortium is managed by Closed Loop Partners, an investment firm involved in the circular economy. Starbucks and McDonalds are founding partners, conservation organization WWF is an advisory partner, while the Coco-Cola Company, Yum! Brands and now Nestlé are all supporting partners.
Nestlé’s decision to join the consortium comes on the heels of various initiative designed to make 100 per cent of the company’s packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.
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