Versalite boost for to-go cup recycling

United States – US plastic consumer packaging and engineered materials specialist Berry Plastics has introduced Versalite – a fully-recyclable thermal management packaging solution that is said to take the to-go cups sector to the next level of sustainability.

Polypropylene-based technology has been used to create both hot and cold to-go cups. ‘The new cup creates the solution consumers have been seeking – a to-go cup that is recyclable and durable, all the while helping to keep their beverage hot or cold for extended periods,’ says Jon Rich, chairman and ceo of Berry Plastics.

A myriad of materials

This innovation fills a void in the marketplace, adds Adam Unfried, president of Berry Plastics’ Rigid Open Top Division. ‘Current to-go cups are made from a myriad of singular and combined substrates including foam, plastic and paper. Unfortunately, none of the cups currently in the market offers a combination of all of the features consumers are looking for – so we set out to develop a cup that provided a superior consumer experience, while being recyclable.’

During the developmental and trial stages, Berry Plastics worked with several companies in the recycling industry to ‘verify Versalite’s recyclability’, and also conducted multiple consumer insight studies. The majority of participants who tried the new cup gave it a ‘significantly higher’ overall rating than the other cups tested.

For more information, visit: www.berryplastics.com