Simply Cups, the foremost cup collection and recycling service in the UK and Australia, will extend its geographical coverage further by launching in the Netherlands and Belgium on the 12th June 2019.Together with local Dutch-based partners, Product for Product and Cupcare Company, Simply Cups will offer hospitality and catering outlets, events and stadia operators and businesses of all sizes, the opportunity to have their used beverage cups collected and then recycled into new, functional products, thereby closing the loop on cup waste.
It is estimated that 3 billion cups are used each year in the Netherlands and 1.5 billion in Belgium, and, although a number of cup recycling schemes already exist, none cover the entire Benelux region and not all have the technology to transform both paper and plastic cups into second-life, durable products. Both of Simply Cups’ local partners already have proven experience in the Benelux market in operating established waste to resource programmes and creating demand for products made out of waste materials.
Peter Goodwin, co-founder of Simply Cups, said:
“With more than a years’ planning invested into the launch of Simply Cups in the Netherlands and Belgium, we are highly confident that we have chosen the right partners and commercial approach to meet market needs. Consequently, we fully expect that the scheme will quickly become the region’s dominant cup recycling brand.”
“At the official launch, in Eindhoven, at the beginning of June, we also expect to announce a number of major customers, including leading retailers and large corporations. Furthermore, we will also launch our rCUP, the world’s first re-usable cup made from used cups”, added Peter.
Purmerend-based Product for Product already runs a wide-range of highly successful closed-loop recycling programmes for clients, throughout northern Europe, with particular expertise in turning segregated waste streams back into functional office supplies, paper products, packaging and even interior fabrication. Retour, scheme managed by the CupcareCompany, established since 1991, currently recycles more than 100 million plastic and paper cups a year from the Dutch market.
“Over the last five years, Simply Cups has developed the most-trusted cup-recycling brand in the UK and Australian market”, says Frans van den Berge, Director of Product for Product.
“We are now excited to be able to bring their experience to the Benelux market as well as a unique range of cup collection bins, suitable for any location, and, most importantly, the know-how to create functional new products, made from used cups, that our clients can buy back and incorporate into their branded merchandise”.
Maarten Wernsen, Founder and Managing Director of Cupcare Company, says;
“The market particularly in Belgium, is crying out for a fresh approach to the tricky issue of cup recycling. Nothing explains the success of recycling schemes better than products, such as the rCUP, that are both made from the used materials and stimulates re-use. Demand for recycled products consequently drives up demand for the waste material which in turn stimulates businesses to try even harder to increase recycling rates”.
Simply Cups currently is currently collecting over 30 million cups annually from more than 100 businesses. Having launched in the UK in 2014 and Australia in 2017, Simply Cups is planning to expand into Benelux, UAE and USA during 2019. The company, together with product design and manufacturing partner, ashortwalk, has also recently launched the smaller 8oz version of the rCUP. The already-available12oz version has recently received a ‘Best Buy’ accreditation from leading UK consumer testing organisation Which?.
For more information on the Launch event or to become a Simply Cups Benelux member please visit www.simplycups.nl
