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Footprint Announced as a Winner of the NextGen Cup Challenge

Written by Footprint | Feb 27 2019

PHOENIX – February 27, 2019 – Footprint is one of 12 companies announced as winners of the NextGen Cup Challenge by NextGen Consortium, convened by Closed Loop Partners. The Challenge narrowed the nearly 500 submissions from over 50 countries down to 12 winners, including Footprint for its formed fiber solution.

Footprint's in-market technologies evolved to provide a formed fiber cup, lid and paper straw solution that is recyclable and compostable.

As a fully formed fiber-based solution, Footprint cups and lids bring a host of new innovations to the cup space that traditional manufacturing cannot match. From variable wall thickness to textures and formed features that interlock with each other, Footprint cups and lids are changing the way cups work.

"Footprint is creating a new era of sustainable cups for food applications and quick service restaurants," explains Jeff Bassett, vice president of marketing at Footprint. "Replacing single-use plastics in these applications will dramatically reduce the amount of plastic used. Since one of our primary concerns is eliminating plastic whenever and wherever possible, we are so excited to be rewarded for this work in such a prestigious way."

The Challenge asked participants, “How might we design the next generation fiber cup to be recoverable on a global scale while maintaining the performance standards we know and trust?” The winners are awarded a portion of up to $1 million in funding and up to six of them will be moving on to a post-Challenge business accelerator.

Troy Swope, founder and CEO of Footprint, says winning is a proof-point for the technology but also an exciting affirmation of the company’s values. “It’s important to us that non-plastic alternatives be readily available to every consumer in as many places as possible. Challenges like these are paving the way for a new way of thinking, and that is positive momentum toward tour shared goals.”

About Footprint

Footprint has a clear vision: eliminate single-use and short-term use plastics. Footprint designs, develops and manufactures shaped fiber and paper into bio-degradable, compostable products. We make it easy for companies to switch out of plastic to preserve our future. We love our oceans and our planet, that's why we are revolutionizing industries to eliminate plastic pollution. The company was founded by former Intel engineers Troy Swope and Yoke Chung and employs more than 800 people. In 2019, Footprint was announced a winner of the prestigious NextGen Cup Challenge for its fiber-based alternative manufacturing process for making cups and lids. It has already helped eliminate over 50 million pounds of plastic. The company is based in Gilbert, Ariz. For more information and a complete portfolio of Footprint solutions visit www.footprintus.com

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