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What Consumers Really Want in Takeaway Packaging: Insights for Our Latest Survey
Eco Packaging Group

In today’s world, where environmental concerns drive every decision, our recent consumer survey reveals whether there is a growing appetite for sustainable packaging in the food service industry. Do consumers really care about eco-friendly takeaway containers and packaging? Our findings suggest they do.

How it Works

We conducted a consumer insight survey of men and women in the UK aged 18-99. Because everyone loves a good takeaway now and then. It also offers a balanced view of current trends and potential shifts in consumer behaviour across different generations.

We then asked about consumer opinions and preferences for takeaway packaging, as well as whether they consider ‘eco-friendliness’ when ordering takeaway food. Together, these questions paint a detailed picture of consumer priorities and expectations for their takeaway packaging.

Environmental Awareness of Takeaway Packaging

Our survey revealed interesting findings about how often consumers think about the environmental impact of their takeaway packaging. Around 49% of respondents always or often consider the eco-friendliness of food packaging when ordering takeout food, while 25% do so sometimes. This suggests that a large portion of takeaway customers are mindful of sustainability, though awareness levels vary.

Younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) show greater willingness to engage with eco-friendly practices compared to older age groups, reflecting broader societal trends. There are also regional differences, with consumers in cities being more aware of and taking action on environmental issues than those in rural communities. This is often due to better access to information and resources related to sustainability.

Preferred Types of Eco-Friendly Food Packaging

In our consumer study, 44% of survey respondents expressed a clear preference for both recycled and compostable materials, highlighting a strong inclination towards eco-friendliness. Meanwhile, 23% preferred exclusively recycled food packaging, while 12% preferred compostable ones. These choices reflect consumer expectations and awareness when it comes to eco-friendly food packaging options.

Recycled takeaway packaging is often seen as a more straightforward option due to its familiarity and the ease with which it can be integrated into existing recycling systems. Compostable packaging, on the other hand, can be more appealing to eco-conscious consumers seeking alternatives to recycled plastics. These customers are also more willing to pay a premium than those who prefer recycled plastics.

However, consumer concerns or misconceptions about eco-friendly packaging persist, often stemming from a lack of awareness. For example, many consumers don’t fully understand the differences between compostable and recyclable packaging. This means that even if consumers believe it is important to reduce single-use plastics, they may not be aware of which option is the best and how to dispose of them properly.

The Impact of Recycled Packaging on Consumer Behaviour

Our survey indicates that the use of recycled food packaging significantly influences consumer ordering behaviour—more than 68% of study participants responded that they would more likely order from a takeaway provider using recycled packaging. This finding suggests that customers have a strong preference for restaurants and takeaways that offer recycled packaging.

Eco-consumers may often view recycled packaging as a way to reduce their environmental impact. This creates a shared benefit: customers make eco-conscious choices while food businesses simultaneously reduce their carbon footprint.

For businesses, switching to recycled food packaging can be more impactful due to its direct visibility and immediate impact on consumer perception when compared to other sustainability practices such as carbon offset or food waste reduction. While these efforts are important, they are typically business-driven and occur behind the scenes. Recycled packaging offers a visible and tangible way for consumers to engage with a business’s sustainability initiatives.

Consumer Desire for Education on Packaging Disposal

In our survey, a significant 70% of UK consumers responded that they would be more likely to choose a takeaway provider that offers guidance on how to dispose of their food packaging. In contrast, around a quarter of survey respondents felt their choice would not be influenced by such educational efforts. Our findings highlight the growing consumer expectation for food businesses to play an active role in promoting sustainable practices.

This could include providing clear and simple disposal instructions and clearing up any confusion about different types of eco-friendly packaging. For example, terms such as ‘biodegradable,’ ‘compostable,’ and ‘recyclable’ are often used by businesses but frequently misunderstood by consumers, particularly regarding their proper disposal. Companies can address this issue by providing clear packaging information, including instructions on whether it should be composted, recycled, or discarded with other waste.

Compostable vs Recycled: Which Drives Consumer Decisions?

Around 50% of survey respondents expressed a preference for compostable packaging rather than recycled packaging, while the other half had a much more flexible attitude towards both eco-friendly packaging options. Both options have their merits.

Takeaway providers can cater to a broader audience by offering both compostable and recycled food packaging options. This approach serves a wide range of consumer preferences while also increasing overall customer satisfaction.

Eco-Packaging Choices for Takeaway Companies

Our survey results offer clear and useful guidance on how takeaway companies can prioritise their food packaging choices. An overwhelming 61% of respondents selected ‘recyclability’ as their top priority, indicating a strong consumer preference for recyclable food packaging materials.

Compostability was the second most important priority for consumers, with 25% favouring it. This indicates a strong interest in biodegradable alternatives to recycled plastic packaging. Durability was also a consideration for 11% of respondents, who want takeaway packaging that keeps food fresh and safe during transit.

Overall, our findings highlight the impacts and benefits of switching to eco-friendly packaging to meet the evolving tastes of UK consumers. Yet, making the switch isn’t just about being green; it’s also about finding the sweet spot between sustainability, business cost, and customer satisfaction. Here are our key recommendations for food and takeaway providers:

  • Offer a mix of compostable and recycled food packaging materials to cater to diverse consumer preferences. This approach not only caters to diverse consumer preferences but also helps manage costs without sacrificing your sustainability goals. Think about it—what better way to show your brand’s commitment to the environment than by diversifying your packaging options?
  • Prioritise clear education about disposal methods for maximising the effectiveness of eco-friendly packaging. Many consumers want to make planet-positive choices but often lack the necessary information to do so. Provide clear, straightforward labels to guide them on whether their packaging should be recycled, composted, or disposed of another way.
  • Keep costs competitive but highlight the value of eco-friendly practices by clearly communicating the environmental and personal benefits to consumers. Build customer loyalty by being open and transparent about your brand’s sustainability efforts and green initiatives.

Conclusion

Our customer survey revealed that consumer expectations are evolving. Sustainability is increasingly playing a decisive role in consumer choices in the takeaway industry. By understanding consumer behaviour towards eco-friendly packaging, food businesses can make savvy decisions that blend business goals with environmental responsibility. Because it’s becoming clear that switching to eco-friendly packaging isn’t just food for thought—it could be a recipe for success in today’s environmentally conscious market.

 

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Tale of the Sizzling Beast: Grillzilla

Who are Grillzilla?

Grillzilla began its journey in the heart of Derby city center in 2015, bringing people together over delightful piri piri chicken, burgers, wraps, and American-style fried chicken. More than just a place to dine, Grillzilla is a warm haven where freshly roasted coffee and delicious cake are lovingly served too.

With open doors and even wider hearts, Grillzilla warmly welcomes couples,  families, and large groups, ensuring there’s something special for everyone to enjoy.

How we came to work with Grillzilla 

Thanks to trusty Google, the founder of Grillzilla discovered us while looking for branded coffee cups online. They requested four different sizes of double-wall cups with their logo and decided to kick things off with a small production run to see how they’d go.

Initially, things didn’t go as planned—there was a little blunder at the factory, and the artwork ended up looking like it had a bake-off with Picasso. But hey, who hasn’t had those days, right? We believe it’s all about how you bounce back! The moment we caught wind of the mix-up, we sprang into action and whipped up a fresh batch of cups in less than 3 days, and it goes without saying, this didn’t cost Grillzilla a penny more.

It’s not just about cups! 

Images courtesy of Grillzilla

In the past few years, Grillzilla has become quite the cup connoisseur, slurping up more of our branded beauties than ever. And guess what? We’ve been slicing down those unit costs (you won’t find any devious price hikes here!).

But, we don’t stop at coffee cups! We make sure Grillzilla is all set with everything they need for takeaways and deliveries. From custom-sized tubs, bags, boxes, and greaseproof paper to greaseproof chip bags—each one crafted to perfectly fit their delicious platters, burgers, fried chicken and more.

What sets Takeaway Packaging apart, you ask?

Well, let’s talk about those chicken boxes. We teamed up with Grillzilla to craft 4 sizes of custom boxes that keep your food sizzling hot without turning it into a soggy mess. Think of them as the superheroes of packaging—embossed and printed with flair! With a little help from our in-house design wizardry, we whipped up artwork that complements their logo like Grillzilla’s hot sauce does their chicken tenders.  These boxes were put through their paces, and Grillzilla is absolutely thrilled with them, so we were excited when they asked us to create another range of sizes!

Let’s not forget to mention their bags! From a lineup of grab bags in all shapes and sizes to a family-sized takeaway bag flaunting a bold red twisted handle. This bag’s got muscles—strong enough to haul even the most ambitious of takeaways without batting an eyelid! 

We all need a little extra

On top of taking care of their packaging needs, we gave Grillzilla a hand when they faced a storage hiccup. Now, we keep all their stock safe and sound in our facilities, and they trust us to keep an eye on when it’s time to cook up the next batch of packaging. All Grillzilla has to do is give us a shout when they need a delivery, and we’ll have it zooming up the M1 by the very next day!

How has packaging from Takeaway Packaging helped Grillzilla?

Grillzilla’s snazzy packaging has been a smash hit with their customers, giving their brand a high-five, keeping the food hot and scrumptious, AND it’s crafted from 100% recyclable materials—making it a breeze for customers to part with responsibly. They’ve even snagged some rave reviews about their eco-friendly style. Talk about wrapping things up nicely!

What Grillzilla has to say:

“From the Beginning I was lucky enough to deal directly with Tina she was really helpful and understanding, for us it was our first time with branded packaging, but not to worry we were in safe hands, thanks to Takeaway Packaging we were offered advice and help at every stage, even though we had to change our mind few times they were understanding and adaptable to Grillzilla needs. This was our best marketing investment since we opened, now we are confident in our product presentation and quality.

This is only the beginning, we as a brand want to take our takeaway business to a different level, with Takeaway Packaging’s help we hope to see Grillzilla a national brand and great British start-up story that goes worldwide” – Grillzilla

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Bubble Tea: Everything You Need to Know (And How to Serve It Sustainably)
What Are the Bubbles in Bubble Tea

Bubble tea, boba tea, or simply “boba” — it’s a taste sensation that swept the nation in a tapioca-infused frenzy over the past few years. It’s only been sold en masse in the UK for a short time, yet it’s one of the most popular takeaway drinks on the market.

You might already know what it is, what it looks like and how it tastes, but we’ll be covering the basics of bubble tea, why it’s so popular and how to serve it with sustainability in mind.

What Is Bubble Tea?

Bubble tea is a drink made using tea, milk, ice and tapioca. It’s recently risen to popularity in the UK, but it’s been a favourite in Asian countries like Taiwan — where it originated — since the 1980s.

Boba tea, “boba” or pearl milk tea can be made in numerous ways to incorporate different flavours, making it an exciting beverage for consumers looking for something a bit different to their usual takeaway drink.

What Are the Bubbles in Bubble Tea

Bubble tea gets its name from the small spheres added to the drink — these are tapioca pearls. Typically dark in colour, although sometimes white or clear, they’re perfectly safe to eat and make the drink all the more interesting and flavoursome. They have a chewy consistency and range greatly in flavour.

Another reason for its name relates to the bubbles and froth that form on the surface of the tea when the drink is shaken — as is customary when serving boba.

Bubble tea is served in transparent cups with a large straw so that you get to enjoy the tasty tapioca balls as you drink. The pearls soak up the flavouring of your beverage, giving the bubble tea an intense taste of honeydew, lychee, mango, passion fruit, peach, plum or strawberry — whatever you fancy!

What Do You Need to Make Bubble Tea?

Thinking about selling bubble tea in the UK? You’re in the right place. We sell recyclable cups and lids and biodegradable cups perfect for bubble tea.

Bubble Tea Cups

Taking pride of place is a bubble tea cup. For this, you can use our eco clear cups made from PLA bioplastic, an eco-friendly and renewable material sourced from plants. Ingeo™ PLA has the same qualities and performance as plastic but can be commercially composted.

You must purchase a transparent cup for bubble tea so you can show off those flavoured pearls and ombre designs for the experts amongst us. That’s why bubble tea cups are commonly made from plastic. To avoid an environmental nightmare, we sell transparent cups without the use of plastic. They look and feel like plastic but are instead made from natural resources.

Note, as these are designed to be takeout cups, they aren’t reusable yet are still a perfect alternative to plastic cups.

Shop our eco clear cups here

Clear Cups

Bubble Tea Lid

To pair with your bubble tea cup, you’ll want to buy a matching lid. If possible, choose a domed lid rather than a flat lid or a lid with a sip hole. Our lids are made from the same sustainable material as our cups.

Shop our range of bubble tea lids

Bubble Tea Straw 

True bubble tea connoisseurs know that a suitable straw is key to serving the best bubble tea. Having a fat or a wide straw helps your customer retrieve those all-important pearls as well as to take sips of the delicious tea contents.

You’ll need to choose a straw with a wider diameter than on average. If an average straw is about 6mm in diameter, a bubble tea straw should be around 12mm.

You’ve guessed it — our straws are also biodegradable to help you build an environmental bubble tea package.

Shop our range of 12mm straws

Bubble Tea Cup Holder

As with any liquid product, you’ll need to offer a takeout cup holder to help customers transport several bubble teas at a time.

For this, you can use a classic carrier with space for either two or four drinks. Our version is made from cardboard completing your sustainable bubble tea vision.

Shop our cardboard cup holders

Want to create branded bubble tea cups? Check out our work.

How to Drink Bubble Tea

You can order bubble tea hot and cold — chilled bubble tea is by far the most popular.

If you opt for chilled bubble tea, the drink can be shaken or blended, much like an iced coffee. Like coffee, you should choose blended if you want a thicker consistency equivalent to a frappe. Most people will choose shaken as this is the authentic way to serve bubble tea. Remember, shaken bubble tea gives the drink its famous frothy bubbles and the tapioca pearls.

Bubble tea should be served with a wide drinking straw so you can suck the pearls through the straw. So long as you’ve been served bubble tea in the right way, you should be able to enjoy your experience by doing the following:

  1. Shake your drink — If your bubble tea is pre-packaged with a sealed lid, shake the contents to create that classic foam effect. Fresh bubble tea is often served in transparent cups.

     

  2. Stir with your straw — Continually stir the drink using your straw in between sips. This encourages the boba to rise from the bottom of the cup — you don’t want it all getting stuck at the bottom!

     

  3. Enjoy! — The joy of bubble tea is in the experience. Relax, sip away and savour the incredible flavours the tapioca pearls have to offer.

Related: The Best Packaging Materials for Takeaway Food and Drinks in 2022

where to drink bubble tea

Where to Drink Bubble Tea (In the UK)

In Asia, where bubble tea originated, bubble tea stands are a regular sight. You can pick up bubble tea at a local market or small town, but bubble tea is a little more scarce in the UK. You’ll likely need to visit a large city to enjoy your favourite cup of bubble tea. We’ve compiled a list of bubble tea locations to help you find your boba fix. 

Biju Bubble Tea — Soho, Westfield, South Kensington, Camden

Biju Bubble Tea is a London-based bubble tea brand. Biju has four locations so far in very different areas of the UK’s capital. Its refined branding and simple menu appeal to many city-goers looking for a refreshing break. 

You can choose from a small selection of fruit teas, milk teas and toppings, including signature biodegradable cups such as Matcha Milk Tea and Iced Honey Green Tea.

Bubbleology — London, Essex, Kent, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Oxford

If you’re a bubble tea fan, you might have already heard of Bubbleology. They have a huge following, with over 69 sites across the UK, Europe and the USA. Bubbleology has a loyalty card system and several standalone shops. Bubbleology has broken the mould by even offering alcohol-infused cocktail bubble teas and fruit and milk-based originals. Paired with their bubble waffle offering, you can snack on an indulgent sweet treat while slurping on your favourite bubble tea. 

Visit Bubbleology

Cuppacha — Soho, Sheffield

Despite Cuppacha’s selective locations, they’re a real hit with locals. The Golden Chopstick Awards recognised their bubble tea in 2019 and you can get it delivered right to your door via Deliveroo. Select from insta-worthy decadent Oreo milk teas and signature ombre drinks. Snap a pic of your bubble tea and tag them on Instagram. 

Visit Cuppacha

Bobo Tea — Manchester, Sheffield 

Bobo Tea also pairs its bubble tea with waffles and frozen yoghurt with an extensive menu. You can find the Manchester branch in the upper mall of Manchester Arndale shopping centre. Transport yourself to the streets of Taiwan with authentic flavours such as coconut, red bean and jasmine — or sweeter dessert flavours like cookies ‘n’ cream or chocolate. 

Visit BoboTea

Bubble Tea: The Disposable Cup Low-Down

Bubble tea has been rising in popularity since 2011. As the bubble tea market continually expands, you might as well get on side with eco-conscious consumers. In fact, 85% of consumers have become more eco-conscious in their purchasing habits in recent years. 

Bubble tea tastes that little bit nicer when your cups are biodegradable. It’s worth investing in our range of sustainable branded takeaway packaging to drive sales, encourage repeat purchases and solidify your brand’s reputation. Need convincing? Just check out our blog on the importance of branding in packaging.

Want to serve bubble tea sustainably? Buy eco-friendly bubble tea cups, lids, straws and more in our online shop. Free UK delivery on orders over £100. You may also take your branding to the next level with our custom custom packaging stickers. 

 

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How Do Designer Food Packaging and Caring for the Environment Mix?
How Do Designer Food Packaging and Caring for the Environment Mix

If something is a designer item, it has to be overboard and all about the image — and it absolutely cannot be considerate towards the environment, right? Wrong. Despite some high-end brands giving the luxury market a bad ethical reputation, designer packaging can cater to the conscious consumer in any sector — including food packaging.

If something is designed, it simply means is that it has been developed with great care and a clear target customer in mind. This is the case for our bespoke packaging, which is developed by our in-house teams of designers to create environmental food packaging that stands out for the customers of quirky brands. In this blog post, we will discuss how a careful design process can tackle our food packaging problems by offering sustainable yet stylish alternatives.

How Does Food Packaging Affect the Environment?

There is plenty of evidence to show that food packaging and the environment have a strained relationship, to say the least. As a result of our throwaway culture and reliance on convenience comforts, we have created some shocking food packaging waste statistics. Most notably, there is predicted to be 12 billion tonnes of plastic waste in landfill by 2050. The most severe food packaging problems affect the earth’s natural environment, polluting our oceans and negatively impacting sea life.

In short, something needs to change in food packaging to protect the environment for future generations. Crucially, we need to eliminate the use of harmful plastic in food containers and other packaging products so that Brits can feel less guilty about their takeaways. But on top of this, brands still want to use their packaged products to inject some personality into their offering. Environmental packaging needs to be designed with care so that it both protects the environment and promotes the supplier.

Can Designer Food Packaging Still Be Recycled? 

Yes, designer food packaging can still be recycled. In fact, basic packaging from your average takeaway is most likely made from harmful plastic.

A tip for consumers deciding to buy: a brand is less likely to put its name on something if it would be ashamed of its impact on the environment. In this sense, branded food packaging is more likely to be 100% recyclable, biodegradable and compostable (but always check for certified UK recycling symbols to make sure).

By using different packaging materials for food, such as the Ingeo™ PLA Bioplastic used in our biodegradable coffee cups, we can create food packaging that is 100% recyclable. We use vegetable-based inks to print bespoke designs on these cups (and various other products in our range) so that designer food packaging can blend seamlessly with caring for the environment.

How Can We Reduce Plastic in Food Packaging and Make Sure It’s on Brand?

Others are now understanding the importance of packaging to the environment and rephrasing what luxury means by prioritising sustainable strategies. The purpose of food packaging is shifting from simply being a container for food to being a driver for change and an effective tool for promotion.

Some of our most successful clients have embraced the traditional eco look by sticking with brown paper cups and a simple logo, like Cobbs Farm. Others have stayed true to their roots, embodying their iconic designs while using sustainable packaging, although you wouldn’t know it unless you were told (much like Ferrari’s 70th birthday burger boxes). This proves that sustainability never has to get in the way of style and that opting for environmental food packaging is a choice that won’t tarnish your brand image — in fact, it might even enhance it.

Create your own stylish and sustainable food packaging that doesn’t harm the environment by booking your free design consultation. Our expert team of in-house designers will help you to develop a creative brief for food packaging that pops.

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The Problem with Recycling Cups
Paper Cups for Coffee

There are so many misconceptions surrounding the recycling of plastic packaging. Many brands tend to promote the fact that their cups are recyclable, but currently, less than 1 percent of coffee cups are actually recycled. Why? Because it is extremely difficult to recycle cups that are lined with plastic.

Paper Cups - Takeaway Packaging
Recycling Plastic Lined Coffee Cups

Unfortunately, cups that are lined with plastic cannot straightforwardly be recycled.

The polyethylene that lines a coffee cup is tightly bonded to the paper in order to make the cup waterproof and able to contain liquids. To recycle a plastic lined coffee cup, the lining needs to be separated from the cup.

It doesn’t end there…

By the time the cup reaches a recycling bin, it has most likely already been contaminated with a liquid.

Standard recycling plants cannot recycle anything that has come into contact with food or drinks; there are only a select few specialist facilities in the UK that can separate the lining from a cup that has come into contact with liquids.

One of the biggest issues surrounding disposable plastic lined coffee cups is their alleged recyclability. These cups are technically recyclable, but the vast majority of coffee cups do not end up being recycled. Most will end up in landfill, but consumers are often not aware of this.

The Solution

There is a solution! Cups do not have to be lined with plastic, they can also be lined with Ingeo™ PLA.

Ingeo™ is a biodegradable polyester derived from renewable plant material. The material itself is completely biodegradable, compostable and has a carbon footprint up to 75% less than traditional packaging materials such as PS or PET.

We can manufacture cups with a PLA lining, these cups are also fully biodegradable and commercially compostable. When commercially composted, the lining of this cup does not need to be removed. We can produce these cups in your desired styles, sizes and we can print them with your chosen artwork and logo.

Our Design Services

If you don’t currently have artwork for your cups, our talented creative team can produce designs just for you. We can tweak it as much or as little as you wish, and all artwork produced is completely unique. Read more about our design services here. Talk to us about branded EcoCups.

Get in touch with us today if you are looking to move away from plastic packaging. Like this blog? Read more about our environmentally friendly packaging range here.

News & Events

We’re exhibiting at the Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo this September. If you’d like to view our products and have a chat with us, get your free tickets here and visit us on our stand.

Keep up to date by following us on social media.
@TakeawayPack on Twitter
@takeawaypackaging on Facebook
@takeawaypackaging on Instagram
Contact Us
Sign up for News & Special Offers

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Advantages of switching to Eco-Friendly Packaging
Black EcoCup
The Advantages

There are so many advantages of switching over to eco-friendly food packaging. Plastic packaging is currently at the forefront of criticism due to the damaging effect it has on our environment. At Takeaway Packaging, we are committed to driving this message as a business. We are encouraging customers to take some time and look at the future friendly alternatives available to them.

EcoCup - Clear Cup
Biodegradable Smoothie Cups, Shop via Takeaway Packaging

We’ve recently introduced a new range of completely compostable and biodegradable packaging which, so far, has gone down very well with the environmentally conscious business we deal with. Its important to us to spread the word about this range as not only does it offer a sustainable solution, our products are also extremely affordable.

Switching to compostable packaging aids in lowering your companies carbon footprint. Plastics can take up to 400 years to decompose, and some plastics will never break down. We use materials that are both sustainable and kind to our environment, Ingeo™ PLA being our go-to. Our products made with PLA will decompose completely in less than 12 weeks when commercial composted.

What is PLA made from?

Ingeo™ PLA is a biodegradable and compostable substance that quite literally is ‘Made from Plants’! The material is produced from naturally occurring and renewable resources found in plants, such as corn starch.

Ingeo™ has very similar physical characteristics to plastic, which makes it perfect for the takeaway packaging products we produce.

We use this material in two different ways

Our first use of Ingeo™ PLA is as a Lining. Coffee cups needs to be lined to increase their water resistance and deter leaking.

We line our coffee cups with PLA as opposed to plastic because it works in the same way, but the lining does not need to be removed in order for it to decompose. Being that Ingeo™ is a compostable and biodegradable substance, cups can be commercially compostable without the trouble of removing the lining first.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlpuTqjj_Hp/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Our second use of PLA is as a ‘Bioplastic’. Ingeo™ can also be used to manufacture products such as clear cups, deli containers, and even straws.

These products look like plastic, but they are fully compostable and biodegradable.

Using eco-friendly packaging will add merit to your business. You are sure to stand out from competitors if you are the only one using future friendly packaging. Our eco-friendly alternatives give you the chance to shout about the work you are doing to prevent the use of single plastic packaging.

Get in touch with us today for a full consultation on switching to eco friendly alternatives, we are more than happy to assist you.

News & Events

We’re exhibiting at the Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo this September. If you’d like to view our products and have a chat with us, get your free tickets here and visit us on stand 1938.

Keep up to date by following us on social media.
@TakeawayPack on Twitter
@takeawaypackaging on Facebook
@takeawaypackaging on Instagram
Contact Us
Sign up for News & Special Offers

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What is the Edible Water Bottle?
Edible Water Bottle - Takeaway Packaging
Have you heard of the edible water bottle?

The ‘Edible Water Bottle’ is a blob-like bottle, made from Sodium Alginate Gel. Skipping Rocks Lab created them in an attempt to produce a more environmentally friendly alternative to single use plastic bottles. They have named their creation Ooho.

“The aim of Ooho is to provide the convenience of plastic bottles while limiting the environmental impact.”

Ooho Features
  • It is 100% made of Plants & Seaweed
  • Biodegradable in 4-6 weeks, just like a piece of fruit
  • Edible can be flavoured and coloured
  • Fresh (shelf life of a few days)5x less CO₂, 9x less Energy vs PET
  • Cheaper than plastic

This product has risen to popularity over the last few months and has already appeared at many events across the world, including London, San Francisco and Boston.

Alternatives to Single Use Plastic Bottles
There are many other alternatives to single use plastic bottles, view some popular choices below!

Plastic
Reusable plastic bottles are an option, but if you are striving for an eco-friendly future (like us!), we’d avoid plastic all together, including reusable plastic items.

Glass
Glass is another viable alternative to single use plastic bottles. Glass can be recycled, and reused time and time again. Of course, glass is heavy and likely to break if dropped.

Metal
Metal water bottles are one of the most practical options you’ll find in your searches. They are both reusable and recyclable. You can find metal water bottles all over, especially in coffee shops such as Starbucks & Pret A Manger.

Like this blog? Check out our top eco-friendly products of 2018 here.

Keep up to date by following us on social media.
@TakeawayPack on Twitter
@takeawaypackaging on Facebook
@takeawaypackaging on Instagram
Contact Us
Sign up for News & Special Offers

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Bespoke Compostable Coffee Cups
Bespoke Compostable Coffee Cups
Did you know that we can brand compostable coffee cups?

Compostable Coffee Cups are no different to regular Coffee Cups, they are just lined with a different material called PLA.

What is PLA?

PLA, short for polylactic acid, is a 100 percent biodegradable and compostable material that we use to line our coffee cups. The material itself is made from a substance found in plants.

Wogan Coffee Compostable Coffee Cups

The Process

If you’re buying your branded coffee cups from us, the process is very straightforward!

Step 1: Initial Concepts & Details

The first step is easy, we simply need to know the size and style of the cup you are after, i.e. 12oz Double Wall Cup or 4oz Single Wall Cup. We will also need to know the quantity you are looking to buy, the larger the quantity, the cheaper the price per unit!

Step 2: The Design

You’ll be please to know that we offer a comprehensive design service, this covers anything from a simple logo placement to full hi-resolution artwork. If you already have your artwork, that’s great! We can also use your artwork to produce your coffee cups.

Bespoke Compostable Coffee Cups
Step 3: Ordering

Once you are satisfied with the design, we will produce your compostable coffee cups. Please note that lead times do vary*.

Step 4: Delivery

Once your cups have been produced we can deliver these to you as and when and as you wish. We can stock hold for up to 3 months dependent on your usage*.

Talk to us today about branded compostable cups, you can call us on 01753 655 344, send us an email on [email protected] or send us a message here.

Like this blog? Read all about our biodegradable ice cream cups here.

Keep up to date by following us on social media.
@TakeawayPack on Twitter
@takeawaypackaging on Facebook
@takeawaypackaging on Instagram
Contact Us
Sign up for News & Special Offers

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Our website has a new look!
Ecoware Cups - Takeaway Packaging

We are excited to announce the launch of our brand-new website! Not only does the new look of our website support our values at Takeaway Packaging, we also have an exciting new shop full of biodegradable and compostable products.

Products

Eco-Friendly packaging is at the heart our new range, view the products available below.

| Cups | Ice Cream Tubs | Food Bowls | Food Boxes | Food Trays | Straws | Smoothie Cups | | Deli Containers | Portion Pots | Cutlery | Lids |

Made from Plants - Ecoware

Product Details
All of our products are either lined or completely manufactured from Ingeo™ PLA Bioplastic. Product sizes and specifications vary, please see individual product pages for details.

Shopping Online
We’ve made shopping online as easy as possible for customers looking for a quick fix. Simply add your desired products to the basket and head to the checkout – its that simple.

Your Account
Create an account with us and login to view previous orders, place new orders and track existing orders.

Ecobowls

Please contact us for large orders.
View our Terms & Conditions
View our Privacy Policy

Like this blog? Check out our new future friendly clear EcoCups, they are perfect for the summer months ahead.

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How to make your packaging stand out from the crowd
Starbucks packaging

The Starbucks logo is a globally recognised icon and one which surrounds the household name.

A familiar face to crowded high streets with a calming-green background, it’s undeniable that Starbucks coffee cups stand out from the crowd… or is it?

Is it really fair to say that a plain white cup with a green logo jumps out of any picture or view and meets your eye instantly?

Probably not.

What is true, is that when you do see that green logo with the siren/maiden/lady thing, it’s unmistakably ‘Starbucks’.

Last December, and piloted initially in the US, Starbucks launched a packaging campaign so great they gained the highest number of video views that season for their campaign advert:

Over 76 million views in under 1.5 months!

They beat all other brands across the whole period of Thanksgiving through to New Year 2018!

How?

They made their already iconic cup unusual and exciting.

Starting with an initial concept for the design of the holiday-season coffee cup, the cup featured seasonal, warming outlines of images of Christmas and merriment; wrapped presents, snowflakes and coca, all nestled around the Starbucks logo.

Starbucks pink packaging
Credit: Starbucks

Their short video, below, simply explained that you can “make the holiday your own” then featured the newly designed cup changing colours – you design your own!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53EgSWqQOwE

The cups in the advert feature all different colour schemes, vibrant and bold.

Even if the cups were coloured in terribly, they would be an object of humour and still likely standout.

Artists and within-the-lines-perfectionists would have really gone for it, only for the cup to then serve as a work of art and, you guessed it, free, ‘boosted’ advertising for Starbucks!

The campaign ticked all the boxes for the consumer; interaction and engagement with the product/brand, something different, something exciting (adults get to be big kids), and most of all, something personal.

 

Top Tips For Standout Packaging

As with Starbucks, doing something different to other people similar to you, will go a long way towards making you standout.

Though no longer trading, Californian-based bakers The Crazy Good Bread Co, are an example of a company whose packaging stood out because it was unusual:

standout bread packaging

Doing something slightly ‘against the grain’ will help you to get your packaging noticed, and that includes packaging your bread in a weird card holder thing.

Staying ahead of the curve is another way for your packaging to to stand out.

At a time when environmental concerns have never been higher, ensuring that you fully embrace the green/eco-friendly approach to waste and packaging will serve you really well.

Given that there are many, many businesses yet to do so, you will establish your brand as a conscious and progressive company that listens to its customers and considers carefully its own ethos and attitudes – this is a powerful consideration that certainly doesn’t go unnoticed.

Have a think about keeping it simple.

An effective way to make your takeaway packaging stand out from the crowd is to strip back your packaging.

Consider simple paper-wrapping techniques fastened and sealed with a sticker featuring a strong logo.

Stickers can be custom designed with your logo and the simplicity of the packaging will seem intriguing in its modesty and harks back to a more traditional approach to packaging takeaway food.

 

If you’ve got some ideas that you’re not sure of or you’re looking for inspiration to build on an already outstanding packaging concept then get in touch with our in-house design time who will be happy to bounce some ideas around and offer some advice.

Posted on
New Products – Biodegradable Deli Bowls & Smoothie Cups
Takeaway Packaging - Deli Bowls

Our Biodegradable Deli Bowls & Smoothie Cups have landed! We are delighted to share with you this Bioplastic range from Ecoware, NZ. These cups & containers are environmentally friendly and suitable for cold foods/drinks.

Ecoware - Takeaway Packaging - Deli Bowls - Smoothie Cups

Products Available
Biodegradable Smoothie Cups | Flat Lids | Dome Lids
Smoothie Cups are available in the following sizes
9oz | 12oz | 16oz | 20oz
Best for serving Smoothies, Juices, Iced Coffee & Milkshakes

Biodegradable Deli Bowls | Deli Bowl Lids
Deli Bowls are available in the following sizes
12oz | 16oz | 20oz
Best for serving salads, cold pasta & fresh fruit

Biodegradable Portion Pots
Portion Pots are available in the following sizes
2oz | 3oz
Perfect for sauces, garnishes and dips

Biodegradable Deli Bows, Biodegradable Smoothie Cups, Biodegradable Portion Pots

Made from Ingeo Bioplastic™, these clear containers have a carbon footprint up to 80% lower than traditional oil-based plastic containers.

Features

These containers are…

  • Fully Biodegradable
  • Commercially Compostable
  • Printed with Non-Toxic inks
  • Suitable for cold drinks & dishes
  • Oil Free

To order these, email [email protected] or call us on 01753655344, or shop online.

More Products
Our compostable food boxes and trays are also available to order, get in touch with us for more information here.

Like this blog? Read about our new eco friendly ice cream tubs here.

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World Environment Day 2018 | Our Favourite Products
World Enviroment Day - Takeaway Packaging

We hope you all had a great World Environment Day. To celebrate, we have rounded up our top eco-friendly products – not limited to takeaway packaging! All of these products are future friendly and sustainable, let us know your thoughts. #TakeawayPackagingForChange

#1 EcoCup by Ecoware (available for pre order*)

This range of double wall paper cups by Ecoware is fully biodegradable, recyclable and compostable – and they look great too! We are now the sole UK distributor for Ecoware products, so if you’d like to purchase these – get in touch with us.

Ecoware EcoCups - Takeaway Packaging

#2 Allbirds Footwear – Comfort That Grows on Trees

Tim Brown had a vision to create shoes produced from natural resources – and he did just that! He teamed up with Joey Zwillinger, an engineer, to create a revolutionary wool fabric made just for footwear.

The footwear is made from…

  •  The Shoe: The material is produced from Wool, a process that uses 60 percent less energy than producing synthetic shoes.
  • The Lace: A pair of laces are created from one recycled plastic bottle.
  • The Packaging: Their packaging is made from 90 percent recycled cardboard.

Their tree fibre, “TENCEL™ Lyocell” is sourced from South African farms that use minimal fertiliser and are reliant on rainfall. Compared to materials such as cotton, it uses 95 percent less water, cutting their carbon footprint in half!

#3 Recycled Plastic Rugs by Fab Habitat

“Our company works diligently to create beautiful and affordable products for your home décor while keeping the most important aspect of our mission in mind – reducing carbon footprint on the environment.”

Fab Habitat specialise in creating indoor & outdoor homeware products made from recycled plastics.

Takeaway Packaging - Fab Habitat Eco Rug

These rugs are woven from recycled plastic drinking straws! Not only are they affordable, all products are coated with UV Protection and tested under harsh sunlight to ensure they do not fade. The majority of their products are made from plastic to help keep the harmful material out of landfill.

#4 D4R by iameco

The D4R laptop by iameco is the first future friendly laptop. When creating this laptop, they focused on the materials of the laptop and manufacturing process to reduce energy consumption and eliminate waste.

Iameco Laptop - Takeaway Packaging

“The goals in developing the laptop were:
1. Achieve a decrease of at least 30% in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
2. At least 70% of overall re-use and recycling of waste and
3. Reduction of at least 75% of fresh water utilisation.”

#5 Backpack by Onya

These colourful bags are made from rPET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) material, which is what you get when you recycle old plastic water bottles into fibre. Each backpack is made from up to 10 plastic bottles.

Features

  • Adjustable Shoulder Straps
  • Practical Handle
  • Zip Up Closure
  • Internal Phone/iPod/Radio Pouch

Like this blog? Read our Environmental Statement here.

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Posted on
Compostable Food Boxes & Trays Available Now
Takeaway Food Boxes - Compostable - Takeaway Packaging

We are excited to share our new range of compostable takeaway boxes with you. These food boxes are made from a sturdy virgin Kraft board and are extremely versatile, being suitable for both hot and cold food.

Products Available
Nested Trays | Long Food Trays | Snack Boxes | Burger Boxes

Can we brand it?
We can brand these boxes with food safe inks. Our talented design team can create bespoke designs tailored to the nature of your business. Find out more about out design services here.

The Material
This Kraft is made from wood pulp, sourced from responsibly managed & sustainable forests. It is manufactured using a unique process to provide a higher durability, making it tear resistant. Products are lined with water resistant, plant based and biodegradable coating. These food boxes and trays can be recycled and are also compostable.

Features

  • Water & Oil Resistant
  • Recyclable and Compostable
  • Suitable for Hot and Cold Food

These products have been tested across a wide range of end of life options, you can find out more about these here. If you’re interested in any of these products, please get in touch with us for more information and to receive your unique quote.

Looking for other products? We are now the sole UK distributor for Ecoware. You can read all about our sole distributorship and view the full compostable range we have available here.

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Posted on
Our 4 Simple Steps to a Greener Future
Takeaway Packaging - Ecoware

We are very aware of the overwhelming need to use and produce sustainable and environmentally friendly food packaging. Here’s our top 4 solutions to environmentally friendly packaging.

BAGS – SWITCH TO PAPER & PLA

SOS Grab Bag

Paper bags – Just as handy as plastic bags, only these bags are fully recyclable! Available in a range of styles and sizes, we can even brand them with vegetable based inks.

COFFEE CUPS – COMPOSTABLE & RECYCLABLE

Compostable Cup - Cobbs Farm

PLA Cups – The compostable cup is without doubt the perfect choice for environmentally conscious brands. Compostable paper coffee cups can be manufactured in either single or double wall and are lined with PLA, meaning that they are completely compostable/recyclable.

It is often thought that standard paper coffee cups can be recycled, but due to their PE lining, this is not the case, in fact they can only be recycled by specialized facilities.

STRAWS – PLA IS BEST

Ecoware - Takeaway Packaging

Paper Straws – Fully compostable & biodegradable, these straws can be branded with your artwork, and will be made in your desired sizes, colours and quantity. We print paper straws with food safe vegetable inks.

Curly Straws – Our Curly Straws are reusable and can incorporate a clip-on accessory for branding purposes, these are ideal for use with children as they can collect the clip-ons and take the straws home.

PLA Straws – PLA, short for ‘Polylactic Acid’ is made from renewable resources, such as corn starch & sugar cane. These straws are fully biodegradable and have the appearance of plastic.

RESTRICTION IS THE BEST POLICY – KNOW YOUR LIMITS

Follow in the footsteps of major chains like Wetherspoons and implement a policy on your packaging! This pub chain has introduced a new policy to cut down plastic straw usage, they will now only give straws out if requested. It’s an excellent idea!

Not only will this cut down overall usage by a major chunk – it will also save you a few pennies!

Environmental consultants Eunomia have estimated that leading supermarket chains are a major contributor to this issue – producing more than 800,000 tonnes each year! Let’s do something about it. #TakeawayPackagingForChange

Click the products below to enquire about compostable food packaging.

COMPOSTABLE CUPS

BIODEGRADABLE STRAWS

PAPER BAGS

Read about our partnership with Ecoware.

Keep up to date with us on social media #TakeawayPackagingForChange
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Posted on
The Eco-Friendly Future of Packaging
eco-friendly packaging campaign

Coffee shop owners are under increasing pressure to prevent the majority of their disposable coffee cups ending up in landfill sites.

The need for change in the packaging industry and the handling of packaging waste has never been greater.

So far we’ve witnessed the likes of coffee giants Starbucks and Pret A Manger offering a discount of up to 50p to customers who bring in their own reusable coffee cups.

However, take-up on this is still relatively low.

At Takeaway Packaging are now offering eco-friendly compostable coffee cups in order to further promote a low-waste approach to packaging.

Compostable Cup - Cobbs Farm

Importantly this will allow takeaway coffee vendors to take control of the situation themselves rather than relying on their customers to share the sentiment and bring in their reusable cups.

We believe that this is where the real changes can be made.

Outside of the coffee industry, global retailers are also starting to take note of the demand for a greener approach to packaging.

According to the charity Greenpeace, Coca-Cola are one of the worst offenders when it comes to environmentally harmful plastic packaging waste with an estimated 110 billion plastic bottles being produced and wasted each year!

The bottles are the most commonly found item on the ocean floor and amongst the debris during beach clean-ups.

To address this problem, Coca-Cola have pledged to collect and recycle all of its plastic bottles by 2030.

The supermarket chain Iceland has revealed plans to remove all plastic packaging from its produce by 2023.

McDonald’s, the world’s largest restaurant business, has committed to ensuring that all of its packaging will come from sustainable sources by 2025.

This is all part of a global initiative to solve a global packaging problem.

Eco-friendly pledge

The world’s largest producers of plastic and other materials harmful to the environment must adhere to new laws and regulations imposed on them to reduce waste; the PM Theresa May has pledged to ban all avoidable plastic waste in the UK by 2042.

While these regulations may differ for smaller businesses, it is important that you do not get left behind as consumers are getting savvy and environmentally conscious.

Perhaps that most encouraging aspect of this global shakeup and endeavour to reduce waste is that the need for change is being demanded by the customers.

After all, just 1 in 400 cups are recycled, which is less than 0.25%, and as many as half a million coffee cups are littered each day in the UK.

Eco-friendly future

With more brands striving to be environmentally conscious, the compostable coffee cup is without doubt the right choice for any takeaway coffee business.

Unlike standard coffee cups which can’t be easily recycled due to their polyethylene (PE) lining, our compostable coffee cups are manufactured in either single or double wall and lined with polylactic acid (PLA).

PLA is a biodegradable plastic which is derived from renewable sources such as corn starch and sugar cane.

As part of our #TakeawayPackagingForChange campaign, we aim to convert all our existing customers to biodegradable and compostable food and drink packaging by 2020.

Consider your own approach to waste and how your use of packaging might be contributing landfill sites.

Get in touch to find out how we can help you to make the transition to recyclable packaging, your customers will love you for it!

Posted on
The Right Straw for You: Pla Straws, Paper Straws & Curly Straws
PLA Straws

Takeaway Packaging are keen to get businesses to start using more compostable packaging, straws included! Straws are currently at the forefront of many discussions regarding single use plastics. We, as a manufacturer of takeaway packaging are responsible for ensuring that you all know about the future friendly alternatives available to you. Here are some options you can consider…

PLA Straws
PLA Smoothie Straw & Smoothie Cup

PLA STRAWS
PLA, short for ‘Polylactic Acid’ is made from a renewable resources, such as corn starch & sugar cane.

PROS
o Has the appearance of plastic
o Completely Biodegradable & compostable
o Made from renewable sources

CONS
o Cannot be branded… as of yet!
o Cannot be stored in wet conditions

Ppaer Straws
Paper Straws

PAPER STRAWS
Paper Straws are made from… paper

PROS
o Can be printed with food safe vegetable inks
o Vintage appearance, vibrant and colourful
o Completely biodegradable & compostable
o Great for use with children

CONS
o Will go soggy after a period of time
o Not suited for thick smoothies and milkshakes

Bella Italia Curly Straws
Bella Italia Curly Straw

CURLY STRAWS

Curly Straws are made from plastic, but they are not single use. They can be used time and time again.

PROS

o Curly Straws are reusable
o Great with the kids
o Can be branded with clip ons

CONS

o Made from plastic
o Can be expensive

Smoothie Cups
Smoothie Cups

NO STRAWS

PROS

o Cheaper

CONS

o Your customers are left without straws

By 2020, we aim to convert all our existing customers to biodegradable and compostable food and drink packaging. If you have any questions about switching to future friendly packaging, please talk to us. We have recently partnered with Ecoware and are delighted to be bringing their growing range of environmentally friendly food packaging to the UK.

Read about our partnership with Ecoware.

Keep up to date with us on social media #TakeawayPackagingForChange
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Posted on
Our Partnership with Ecoware
Ecoware Logo - Takeaway Packaging

We are delighted to announce that we are now the sole UK distributor for Ecoware products and their growing line of environmentally friendly food & drink packaging.

Our partnership comes at the perfect time as we are hoping to convert all existing and new customers over to environmentally food packaging by 2020.

“Packaging made from plants, not oil” – Ecoware

Ecoware Compostable Cups
About Ecoware

Ecoware are New Zealand’s first carboNZero certified packaging company, providing a complete range of sustainable and future friendly packaging. All products are produced from renewable sources, such as corn starch and bamboo fibres.

Products Available

SINGLE WALL CUPS | DOUBLE WALL CUPS | BIOPLASTIC CUP | ECOBOWL | CUTLERY | STIRRERS | STRAWS | BURGER BOXES | SNACK BOXES | FOOD TRAYS | CHIP CUPS | HOTDOG BOX | SANDWICH WEDGES | SAUCE CONTAINERS | SMOOTHIE CUPS | DELI BOWLS

These compostable products are available to order NOW! Start your eco-friendly future today, talk to us about compostable packaging.

There are lots of exciting things on the way in the coming months. Keep up to date by following us on social media

@TakeawayPack on Twitter
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Our Environmental Statement
Takeaway Packaging
#TAKEAWAYPACKAGINGFORCHANGE

Takeaway Packaging recognises that it has a responsibility to the environment beyond legal and regulatory requirements. Our group of companies are committed to reducing our environmental impact and are continually improving our environmental performance as an integral part of our strategy and operating methods.

Our approach to takeaway packaging is changing . . .

Over the last few years, it has become more apparent that we need to consider and find ways of ensuring that the disposable ‘one use’ packaging we supply is more environmentally friendly. There are many misconceptions, due to the way packaging is often marked, that an item is recyclable, when in fact, it needs to be sent to a specialist facility.

Takeaway Packaging actively encourage customers to change their standard food packaging by offering alternatives that are recyclable, compostable or biodegradable.

We endeavour to

• Always offer our customers an alternative, environmentally friendly product
• Inform our customers of new developments and options available
• Use materials from sustainable sources

By 2020, we aim to convert all our existing customers to biodegradable and compostable food and drink packaging. We’d also like to take the opportunity to invite anyone thinking about switching to compostable products to get in touch with us for a full consultation.

Keep up to date by following us @TakeawayPack on Twitter or @takeawaypackaging on Facebook and Instagram

Takeawayn Packaging

Posted on
The Most Expensive Coffee in the World
craft coffee takeaway

The new year is underway and everyone is drinking more coffee to get them through the day.

Here at Takeaway Packaging our eyes are wider than ever and, though still Winter, we’ve certainly got a spring in our step.

You see, we like to road-test all our products in order to provide first-hand knowledge and advice to our customers.

This means we know just what it’s like to drink coffee from a Double-Wall cup versus a Ripple Cup and what that’s like over a Compostable Cup.

We’ve been drinking a LOT.

We have drawn the line at tastings of different coffees in the same cup (mainly for health reasons), but it has got us thinking (mainly in bed, late at night, unable to sleep), where in the world does the very best coffee come from?

What follows is a low down of the best (and most expensive) coffees the world has to offer.

As a benchmark for price, Starbucks’ House Blend retails at £3.50/200g bag of beans.

 

Blue Mountain Coffee – Jamaica

We start our journey 5,000ft above sea level in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. These mountains are famed for their rare, small-batch coffee plantations.

The beans undergo a meticulous process of grading and sorting which ensures quality consistency.

As an indication of this coffee’s rarity, the annual yield of Blue Mountain beans is about 0.1% of the coffee produced in Columbia, and nearly 80% of the produce is exported to Japan.

Because the plantations are so high, they are exposed to an abundance of heavy rainfall which contributes to enhanced growth.

All this rain makes for a particularly pulpy, fleshy fruit (referred to as the cherry) which gives this coffee bean it’s famous balanced and mild flavour.

Best price we’ve found: £40 /200g

fresh takeaway coffee

Kopi Luwak – Indonesia

Coffee snobs will have definitely been expecting this one, and possibly those with a passion for the, different.

Luwak coffee undergoes a very ‘special’ process in order to become the well-loved, revered and expensive coffee that it is.

The coffee fruit is eaten by wild, free-to-roam Asian palm civets. If you don’t know what a civet is, here’s a scientific description: it looks like a cross between a cat, a mongoose, a weasel and a racoon.

speciality takeaway coffee

Once the civet has finished chomping on the bittersweet fruit, the fruit is fermented inside the civet’s stomach during digestion.

The next step, if you haven’t already guessed, is retrieving the leftover coffee bean… from the feces.

It’s this delicate and time consuming process that makes this coffee so unique. Once roasted the end result is a sweeter-tasting coffee having been altered by exposure to the chemicals which aid the civet’s digestion process.

Best price we’ve found: £64 /200g
(Watch out for less ethically farmed varieties where the civet is not wild or free-to-roam)

Kopi Luwak takeaway coffee

Hacienda La Esmeralda (Geisha) – Panama

When someone speaks of coffee plantations, Panama is seldom the country that gets a mention. Rather, Panamanian coffee seems somewhat an unusual concept altogether.

Far west in Panama, the region of Boquete is home to highland, jungle-esque plantations responsible for some of the most expensive coffee beans on record.

What’s more, this Geisha variety of bean has cleaned up at nearly every major global coffee tasting awards.

Not only does it taste great but production is truly epic. Picking the coffee fruit is no walk in the park, instead it is back-breaking and tedious work.

Coffee pickers have to fight steep highlands, slippery slopes, heat, fire ants and snakes!

All this for an hourly wage of just over £1/hr.

Similarly to Blue Mountain coffee, growth is promoted by frequent rain which is enjoyed by the coffee plants for nine months of the year.

When not raining, shade is sorely needed as protection from the sun and this is afforded to the coffee plants by guava trees.

The yield is small and the production slow. The result is a very expensive coffee, but every self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur should strive to try it.

Good luck getting ahold of these beans as most of what’s produced is sold through specialist auction houses.

Best price we’ve found: £70.40 /200g

Takeaway coffee Panama

And the winner is..

Black Ivory Coffee – Thailand

Much like Kopi Luwak, here we have another coffee that undergoes an extra special process.

This time, however, the coffee bean is ‘refined’ by the Thai elephant!

Chiang Saen, the northernmost region of Thailand, where the country intersects Myanmar and Laos, is where Black Ivory coffee is made.

Part of what makes this coffee so extremely expensive is that the producer uses the very Panamanian Geisha beans described above.

The elephants are looked after extremely well by their Mahouts and they live a good life.

When the beans are ingested by the elephants it can take anywhere between 15 to 70 hours for the coffee to be digested and excreted.

As with the civet, an enzymatic reaction takes place in the stomach of the elephant.

Digestive acid breaks down the bitterness-causing protein in the coffee fruit.

Less protein equals less bitterness.

In general, herbivores utilize a lot more fermentation to digest their food which is great because it helps to bring out the sugar of the coffee and impart the fruit of a cherry into the bean.

Best price we’ve found: £162 /200g (USD$1,100/kg)

Black coffee takeaway cup

That’s over 46 times more expensive than the Starbucks House Blend.

Bear in mind that all of these prices are a retail price for beans. Price per cup at a cafe would be on another level!

Happily, the animal-dung process for creating sippable delicacies isn’t exclusive to the coffee world.

Tea-drinkers can now rejoice in the knowledge that a they too can get in on this recycled-goodness.
There have been some exciting plans in China to produce organic green tea which has been consumed by a panda bears.

Watch this space.

So whether it’s gone in and come out, drink in or drink out, talk to us about the best way to serve your coffee with our wide range of takeaway coffee cups.

Our bespoke design service means that your takeaway coffees can look as weird and wonderful as the coffee inside!

boutique black coffee
Posted on
4 Packaging Design Trends of 2018
coffee cups of the future

The new year is upon us, time to make changes to your packaging for 2018.

Through a combination of our extensive industry knowledge (Takeaway-Packaging-inner-genius) and consulting a very large crystal ball in our office, we’ve been considering what will be in store for takeaway packaging in the next 12 months.

This article will tell you everything you need to know to have the trendiest packaging going!

In short, we’ve compiled the four major trends that are set to catch the eye of your customers in 2018. Here’s a run-down of creative ideas for those purchasing takeaway packaging which will ensure your packaging stays bang-on trend and ahead of the game.

 

Nostalgia – Old Fashioned & Retro Packaging

It’s not hard to notice the huge wave of throwback design currently happening.

All of a sudden shell suits, knitting, flares and dodgy hair is back in fashion and while that’s going on everyone is sipping ‘craft’ gin or prohibition-style cocktails. There’s still an insatiable appetite and desire to indulge in a bygone era.

People yearn for the past because they are seeking greater individuality which existed in times of less competition. You should aim to pander to this feeling.

Is it, perhaps, that what we’re all searching for is some integrity in our product choices and what we consume? Maybe a side-step from mass-produced crowded markets?

Nowadays many of us favour the ornate, we look for craftsmanship, the handmade and skilled approach.

This is showing no signs of slowing in the 12 months to come.

It’s this consumer preference that really encourages the personality of a brand to come to the fore. Companies must differentiate themselves and display their personalities through patterns and detailing on their packaging.

Let’s not forget, care and attention to detail on the packaging speaks volumes about the deliciousness of the food or drink on the inside. Do judge a falafel wrap by its packaging!

Stuck for ideas? Think paisley print, Dickensian sideburns, pictures of bicycles and moustaches.

Old fashioned coffee print
Awesome coffee cup

Textured Packaging & Labels

Texture on packaging and labelling is soaring in popularity and demand. This is because it includes other sensory feelings before contact is even made with the packaging contents.

In many cases texture plays a vital role in both style and function.

A perfect example of this and one that is guaranteed to set off your hot drinks on the right track in January is our very own Executive Paper Coffee Cups.
These use an eye-catching, trend-setting, two-tone grid design and ultra-firm ribbing which looks and feels great, even before you’ve tried the coffee!

Emboss, deboss, textured paper, textiles, whatever you choose, it’s bound to get bigger in the new year.

Check out our range of textured packaging.

Takeaway Packaging - Coffee Cups

Environmentally Focussed & Renewable Sources

Consumers and brands have become ever more environmentally conscious.

There is an increasing availability of renewable materials which also helps to promote their use. Those purchasing takeaway packaging can now get hold of more obscure materials such as wood fibres, shrimp shells, mushrooms or sugarcanes to replace harmful polymers.

Safe and responsible packaging is the go-to option for consumers who are concerned about the environment and who want to have greater control over their waste.

Of particular concern at the moment is the terrible issue of plastics in the ocean.

Last month, the Independent reported “around eight million tons of plastic makes its way into oceans each year, where it gets eaten by fish or birds. More than a million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals die annually from getting caught in or swallowing the waste.”

To combat this the Chancellor is considering a tax on takeaway packaging with particular regard to single-use packaging. This follows the charge on plastic carrier bags.

Raising awareness is one thing but attacking the problem at its source is the only way that the problem will be resolved which is why the rise of zero-waste initiatives are driving the trend in eco-packaging.

Browse through our selection of green packaging options to consider how you can help.

compostable drinks cup

Minimalist Design

Our final trend spot which has entered onto the radar more recently is the minimalist approach to packaging design.

In many cases, we’ve seen a surge of packaging with ultra-minimal imagery or even the stripping away of graphic elements entirely.

Many brands are opting for a cleaner, ‘essentialist’ look which avoids noisiness and excessive information.

This theme is rife throughout the takeaway industry already and definitely looks set to stay as we’ve found that a number of brands want to customize just their labelling and leave the rest of the packaging plain, letting the material speak for itself.

Consider how you can adopt these trends into your packaging arsenal. A good brand and logo should cater for a versatile approach to packaging.

Get in touch for expert advice on choosing the right packaging styles to suit your company making 2018 your trendiest year yet!

Posted on
The Final Straw: Paper or Plastic?
Plastic Straws

JD Wetherspoon is just one of the latest chains to end the potential harm of using of plastic straws, as complaints about the environmental effect by staff and customers has led to a new way of thinking in respect of our environment. The pub chain is aiming to cut down plastic straw usage and will be using biodegradable paper straws in the New Year, across their 900 + branches.

It’s been reported that plastic straws can take up to 500 years to rot when dumped in landfill, the chain claims this will stop 70 million plastic straws entering landfill & the world’s oceans each year.

Takeaway Packaging fully support this approach to cutting down plastic wastage and encourage our customers to use an alternative product. This is why we produce both Paper Straws, suitable for disposable use, and Curly Straws, which can be reused time and time again.

Paper Straws

Our Paper Straws are fully compostable & biodegradable, these straws can be branded with your artwork, and will be made in your desired sizes, colours and quantity. We print paper straws with food safe vegetable inks.

Curly Straws

Our Curly Straws are reusable and can incorporate a clip-on accessory for branding purposes, these are ideal for use with children as they can collect the clip-ons and take the straws home.

5 Benefits of switching to these straws
  • Eco-Friendly
  • Cheaper
  • Biodegradable
  • Less Wastage
  • Sustainable Sources

Check out our Straws page for more information about the different styles of drinking straws we produce.

We offer stock options available for those who aren’t looking to brand their drinking straws, these are available in a variety of colours. Takeaway Packaging also produce a wide range of compostable & recyclable takeaway food packaging and street food packaging supplies, please get in touch with us to find out more.