Bulgarian company Cupffee has introduced the world’s first edible coffee cup, designed to offer a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic cups in the beverage and hospitality sectors.
Made from seven locally sourced ingredients such as oat bran, wheat flour, and coconut oil, the cup is free from artificial additives, preservatives, sweeteners, GMOs, and allergens. Suitable for vegan diets, the product is designed to remain crunchy for at least 40 minutes after contact with a hot drink and resist leakage for up to 12 hours. It can endure liquids up to 85°C, offering performance comparable to conventional plastic or coated paper cups.
Cupffee highlights the environmental urgency behind the innovation, citing that nearly 495,000 plastic cups are used globally each day, with less than 1% recycled and the remainder contributing to land and ocean pollution. If not consumed, the edible cup reportedly decomposes completely within weeks.
The production process is described as zero-waste, with excess materials repurposed to manufacture coffee stirrers, reducing industrial impact.
The cups are available in 110ml and 220ml sizes with compatible holders, and are currently distributed across 55 countries. A box of ten 110ml cups is estimated to save 0.6kg of CO2 emissions. With 353 business clients using the product — including Lavazza, Costco Mexico, Metro, and Etihad Airways — the company claims a total carbon savings of 277,000kg.
Cupffee’s offering is aimed at a range of B2B segments including cafés, hotels, catering, events, and premium retail. The cup can also be branded with a printed paper label for promotional use.
“Our goal was to create a product that transforms waste into value without compromising practicality,” said Cupffee founder Matej Šmid. He added that clients have adopted the cups smoothly into their operations.