Walmart Offers PHA-Based Hot Drink Cups and Flex Straws for the First Time
WinCup announced that phade's®, the world's first PHA-lined hot drink cups and lids, are now available at Walmart.
phade® is derived from PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a breakthrough new biopolymer derived from canola oil fermentation that safely biodegrades in months. Made by WinCup, Inc. and sold under the phade® brand, the hot drink cups are lined with PHA instead of plastic film, enabling them to decompose quickly in the environment. The plastic lining in traditional paper cups takes decades to decompose.
"It's an honor for the world's largest retailer to put our one-of-a-kind hot drink cups and Flex straws on their shelves, recognizing Phade's unprecedented sustainable quality and excellence," said Michael Winters, WinCup President and CRO. "Walmart is working to make sustainability mainstream. They know their customers are eager to make environmentally friendly choices and expect superior quality. We are very proud to be their partner and provide them with advanced solutions."
Walmart offers Phade® hot drink paper cups and lids in two "On the Go" packages: a 10-pack, 16-ounce, "Sea Life" graphic hot drink cups and lids; and a 10-pack, 12-ounce, "Wave" graphic hot drink cups and lids. These packages are available in Walmart stores nationwide and on Walmart.com.
The new phade® Flex straw, the world's first PHA flexible drinking straw, is also now available in more than 4,500 Walmart stores nationwide. The new straw combines WinCup's award-winning technology with rigorously screened industry sustainability certifications to deliver a user-friendly and hassle-free drinking experience. The flexible straw is particularly popular with families with young children and those with disabilities who rely on it for a convenient, safe and comfortable drinking experience.
The growth of the phade® brand in the market comes at a time when retailers and consumers are looking for viable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. Recent studies show that less than 10% of plastics are recycled, while demand for traditional plastics continues to grow. phade® cups and straws offer a direct solution to replace fossil fuel-based plastics and curb global plastic pollution.
"We have yet to see the environmental benefits of simply reducing, reusing and recycling, so we need to replace these traditional plastic products with innovative alternatives like phade®," said Brad Laporte, CEO of WinCup. Since its launch just a few short years ago, phade® straws have displaced enough plastic straws to circle the earth 20 times if stacked end to end. We are grateful to have such a strong partner like Walmart to help us turn our vision of 'replacement' into reality.
