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“We have a bold long-term sustainability vision and ambitious goals for 2030,” said Starbucks President and CEO Kevin Johnsonin a media release. “Starbucks partners around the world are passionate about protecting our planet and are at the very center of driving the innovation that enables us to give more than we take from the planet.”
The cups being used in the Asian market can be used up to 30 times, which could put a pretty big dent in the company’s volume of waste. In South Korea, where the program was piloted at four shops in Jeju,Starbucks estimatesthat 200,000 cups were diverted from landfills in the first three months. (Inan interview withCNN, a Starbucks vice president of product experience said their newest version of the reusable cup could replace 100 cups.)
If you’ve been keeping up with the coffee chain’s cup-related plans for a while, you might know that Starbucks' pivot to reusable cups started way back in 1985, whenthe company began offering a 10-cent discounton drinks when customers brought in a cup from home. And while some may be sad to see the end ofStarbucks' red cup season, there’s reason to believe that holiday cups will still be a big part of the company’s identity. For the past four years, Starbucks hasoffered free reusable red cupsonce a year—so just be sure to mark your calendar in the future.
Based on what the brand is seeing at locations worldwide and stateside, customers find it easier than you might think to get on board with the company’s sustainability goals. “Customers were just so excited to try something new and my partners had a lot of pride in testing it and giving that feedback to make the program even better,” said Kim Davis, who manages a store where the program is being tested,in a media release. “I do think that everyone really does want to contribute to a better world, and if we can help them do that one cup at a time, that is our mission right there.”
We’re looking forward to ordering our next latte or macchiato in a sturdy reusable cup—and since Starbucks was servingat least 60 million beverages each weekas far back as 2012, it’s easy to believe that axing single-use cups willmake a big difference for the environment.
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