F’real and Footprint partner on plastic-free cup

Materials science technology company Footprint, Gilbert, Arizona, has announced a partnership with Emeryville, California-based F’real Foods to create molded fiber dairy cups as the on-the-go, blend-it-yourself shake and smoothie company transitions away from single-use plastics.

F’real’s in-store blending system can be found in more than 20,000 locations around the world, including convenience stores, colleges and universities, theaters and military bases. The company says the move away from single-use plastic cups is part of its goal to provide 100 percent recyclable and responsibly sourced packaging in the U.S., specifically, by 2025.

“Like many sustainably minded companies, we’re always looking to improve the impact we’re making on the environment, and that includes the packaging of our delicious products,” says Nikkie McBrayer, senior director of global equipment platforms for F’real’s parent company, Rich Products. “The opportunity to collaborate with Footprint to create a positive change while upholding packaging performance for our F’real milkshake and smoothie cups is truly a win-win.”

Footprint says it will consider several design factors as it creates a molded fiber cup to ensure it works seamlessly with F’real’s current and future equipment. The company says the new cups will utilize its Print-to-Fiber Technology, a flexographic print process for molded fiber cups that delivers high-quality, color-rich printing on the fiber surface while eliminating the need for a separate plastic label on the product.

Footprint says it will begin extensive testing this month to ensure that the design of the plastic-free cup meets all design expectations.

“Footprint’s engineers are always up for a challenge and are focused on perfecting the intricate design and engineering of this cup, which we look forward to bringing to market,” Footprint co-founder and CEO Troy Swope says. “Working with customers like F’real allows us to highlight the significant science and engineering that goes into Footprint’s solutions while reinforcing our commitment to collaborating with customers to develop a product tailored to their unique needs.”