Corn coffee cups?

[hiker]

Just setting up my roasting & sales shop and looking for feedback on the takeaway cups that use compostable corn-based plastic lining. I would like to be environmentally active, but also need to consider the market etc

any feedback appreciated

cheers
hiker

[flynnaus]

Re: Corn coffee cups?

What about reusable cups?
Theres one called KeepCup (google it for website)

[trentski]

Re: Corn coffee cups?

What about reusable cups?
Theres one called KeepCup (google it for website)

IN a retail situation alopt of people wont pay extra for the reusable cups, esprecially if they arent planning on coming back.

Ive eaten from the plates made from corn and potato starch and whilst thicker than paper they did their job fine, not sure of the economics though.

[Thundergod]

Re: Corn coffee cups?

Once the coffees been drunk what happens to the cup?

It may break down, but whether or not thats a positive for the environment really depends on where the council disposes of it doesnt it?

[speleomike]

Re: Corn coffee cups?

Hi all

There is also the impact of purchasing products made from corn on other consumers of traditional corn waste products. Over the last couple of years there was considerable debate on the effect that ethanol production from corn cobs has had on stock feed. Disposable products based on so-called "waste" from corn would have a similar effect.

Here is an extract from one link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_06/b4020093.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_top+stor y

"Those hogs eat a lot of corn—10 bushels each from weaning to sale. In past years he has bought feed for about $2 a bushel. But since late summer, average corn prices have leapt to nearly $4 a bushel. " ... "But instead of going into the maws of pigs or cattle or people, an increasing slice of that supply is being transformed into fuel for cars. The roughly 5 billion gallons of ethanol made in 2006 by 112 U.S. plants consumed nearly one-fifth of the corn crop. If all the scores of factories under construction or planned go into operation, fuel will gobble up no less than half of the entire corn harvest by 2008."

One has to ask, if everyone used corn based paper products for paper cups who would be effected and by how much? Its hard for consumers like us to answer that this far away from the economics and without access to real data.

Mike

[kabintylen]

Re: Corn coffee cups?

There was an article in the latest Bean Scene that had a short story on www.biopak.com.au which might be of service to you if youre looking for biodegradable cups.

[hiker]

Re: Corn coffee cups?

Thanks all,

Seems that the upsides may not match the downsides - will investigate further ..... also

have been reading about cups with advertising -basically they provide all cups FREE supported by adverts on each ...... sounds like a plan!

[Dennis]

Re: Corn coffee cups?

have been reading about cups with advertising -basically they provide all cups FREE supported by adverts on each ...... sounds like a plan!

Depends if you want to advertise your business or that of someone else.

Last year I tried 3 different providers that all started out well and for various reasons, fell by the wayside. For the last 3 or 4 months Ive been using Detpak and am very happy with the results.