Foam Coffee Cups – Bad for Coffee?

There are also travel mugs, which are coffee mugs that are made of stainless steel and plastic, making them very durable and can retain heat for long period of time, making these ideal to take with you when you’re on the go.

However, there is another kind of coffee cup that probably matches the number of their more popular counterparts.

These coffee cups are used by companies, particularly by vending companies with their coffee vending machines. These are foam coffee cups.

Vending companies use foam coffee cups because of their inherent properties. Foam cups are good insulators.

Love coffee? Here is some more "free stuff"! Learn more with this ebook (is free!)

Making Coffee without Coffee machine.

How to use a V60?

How to brew using a coffee sock? 

These methods are featured in our coffee courses. 

In other words, you can hold a foam cup filled with hot coffee brewed without burning your hand.

In addition, paper cups, which are often used in coffee franchises, such as Starbucks, need a cardboard sleeve for insulation. Foam cups don’t need cardboard sleeves.

Second, it is actually cheaper to make and mass produce foam paper cups, making them ideal for vending companies to load up in their vending machines en masse.

Do foam coffee cups have an effect on the taste of coffee? There are no documented studies that show that foam cups have a positive or negative effect on the taste of coffee.

And do take note that foam cups were widely used for coffee and other hot or cold beverages even before the advent of paper cups. If there is a negative effect on taste, it should have been documented decades ago.

However, foam cups do have a negative image because it is made of Styrofoam, and there is an ongoing debate if using paper or foam coffee cups is better for the environment.

There are good arguments on both sides, which make the final verdict very unclear at the moment.

In fact, some green and eco-friendly coffee shops prefer to use foam coffee cups for to-go coffee, because they believe it is better to use foam cups rather than paper cups for the environment.

For one, paper cups create more trash because patrons would always ask for a cardboard sleeve. Second, surprisingly, paper cups do not biodegrade quickly.

20 years from now, a paper cup would still be a paper cup. Finally, it takes more energy and natural resources to manufacture a paper cup.

Therefore, are foam cups bad for coffee? No, they are not. However, as much as possible, use reusable cups whenever you can.

About US | OCM Profile

OCM (OnCoffeeMakers.com) was started in 2007 with the first webpage about coffee machines. And for a number of years, we focused on helping people find their desired coffee machine (we still are helping folks with that! So, if you are looking for coffee machines for office or restaurants - check out the link). 

In 2010, we started getting enquiries on restaurant marketing and we start to help food and beverage brands with their marketing. Below are campaigns and events that we have done over the years: 

OCM's campaigns: F&B Marketing Ideas by OCM 

OCM's Events: F&B Industry events by or with OCM

Check out this restaurant marketing guide to learn more about the many campaigns and companies we have worked with. 

Since then, we have also created many marketing workshops and classes for the F&B industry. Many of these modules are still running in tertiary institutions such as Temasek Polytechnic Skillsfuture Academy and also ITE College East COC classes, below are some snippets of our lectures and workshops: 

OCM’s F&B workshops: Food and Beverage Marketing Lectures | Workshops - click to watch classes on customer journey map, JTBD and more. 

So, if you are looking for industry practitioners to help you scale your coffee or F&B businesses, do drop us a message or book an appointment. Do also check out our various social media platforms on regular F&B and coffee market updates: 

For regular coffee (F&B) related videos: OCM Youtube

For Daily Coffee Inspiration (fun coffee content): OCM IG

For insights into the coffee (F&B) industry: OCM LinkedIN 

PS: For the coffee lovers, we continue to share coffee articles (and videos) and have also started a free coffee class section (with free online coffee training supported by coffee partners).

OCM Recommends

Latest event/Webinar

Learn more about the event on The Power of Market Research organised by Alumni of Adelaide University. 

**Gain insights into Singapore Industry with a free F&B industry report valued at $495. 

See you on 24 August 1630 hr. (Sign up below)

Free tickets code: adelaide0823

Starting a coffee shop?: Free Cafe Setup cost Calculator

F&B Video Lectures

Free F&B Marketing

Featured coffee brewing method: How to prepare V60 Coffee? 

Previously: Making Coffee with a Coffee Sock. 

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