We held our Annual Conference on Thursday 6th December and reflected on how we have successfully disrupted the market place over the last four years.
Opening the event, Peter Goodwin, Co-Founder of Simply Cups, reminded the audience that back in 2014, when the cup recycling scheme was launched, almost no one gave them a chance.
“We lost count of the times we were told ‘it couldn’t be done’, ‘there’s no value in it’ or, worse still, ‘there’s no appetite from businesses or consumers”, said Peter.
“Simply Cups is now recycling over 25 million cups each year, from over 100 business and has made the world’s first reusable cup made from used cups. With eighteen service providers now offering cup collection services, this is absolute proof that disruptive innovation is an effective means of changing the status quo”, added Peter.
The event, held at The Crystal, dubbed ‘London most sustainable venue’, was attended by more than 150 delegates and boasted a stellar line up of speakers, including keynote Lucy Siegle, who writes for the Guardian and presents on the BBC One Show.
The highlight of the Conference was a debate, moderated by Lucy Siegle, with panelists Mary Creagh MP, Ollie Rosevear from Costa Coffee, circular economist, Sophie Thomas, and Adrian Pratt from Benders Cups.
In a lively session, the panel debated roles and responsibilities in helping solve cup waste, including potential solutions, littering and the viability of a ‘latte levy’.
Simply Cups already has plans in place to grow the scheme further, including geographical expansion in the Netherlands, UAE and USA during 2019. The Conference also saw the launch of the 8oz rCUP, to complement the existing 12oz version which has just received a Which? ‘Best Buy’.
A very big thank you goes out to our sponsors, Sodexo, ashortwalk, Costa Coffee, Leafield Environmental, Regency Design, Simply Waste Solutions and Wybone, with whom the event wouldn’t have been possible.
Thanks also to all the delegates who gave up their valuable time and we look forward to seeing you in 2019. For those unable to make it on the day then you watch the entire conference from here:
