STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Eco-minded boba tea enthusiasts nationwide are now able to enjoy their favorite beverage without using a straw that harms the environment. WinCup, Inc., the manufacturer of phade®, the world’s first marine biodegradable, home and industrial compostable Caribbean blue drinking straw, has released a new bubble tea-sized straw for boba, smoothie and milkshake drinkers. The boba straw’s wider size is more suitable for thicker liquids while incorporating phade’s® superior sustainable technology.
Made with PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a meaningful new biopolymer derived from the fermentation of canola oil, phade® straws maintain the feel and user experience of traditional plastic straws but will safely biodegrade and return to nature quickly. phade’s® new boba straw is now available across the country, with Yankee Stadium among the first sporting venues to offer it for milkshakes.
“WinCup is eager to expand phade’s® PHA technology to reach as many customers as possible, and as a result, have a meaningful positive impact on the environment by replacing harmful petroleum-based plastics,” said Michael Winters, WinCup President and Chief Revenue Officer. “We are reaching a whole new consumer demographic with our phade® boba straw, and like other phade® products, users don’t have to sacrifice function and experience for being environmentally responsible.”
Boba tea, also commonly referred to as bubble tea or simply “boba,” has been gaining popularity as a refreshing treat in the US since the 1990s. The drink, first popularized by East Asian immigrants in North America, is often marketed at eateries in a wide variety of flavors. One of its most defining characteristics is the handful of tapioca pearls that adorn the tea at the bottom, adding a gelatin-like texture to the creamy drink, hence the need for a thicker straw. Until now, consumers had very few sustainable options for boba and other thicker beverage products, like milkshakes and smoothies.
“phade’s® expansion into the boba market is a great example of the many possibilities for our PHA technology,” said Brad Laporte, WinCup’s Chief Executive Officer, “Making phade® available for something like boba not only gives customers a new sustainable option, but it exposes them to the future of new sustainable technologies designed to replace petroleum-based plastics. The boba straw is a meaningful step in the growth of the phade® brand, and we’re just getting started.”
The development of phade® involved a rigorous testing and certification process. TÜV AUSTRIA, a globally recognized independent third-party certifying body, certified phade® as both industrial and home compostable in a matter of months. TÜV also certified the material from which the phade® straw is made as marine biodegradable. Additionally, the Biodegradable Products Institute Inc. (BPI) has certified phade® as industrial compostable.
WinCup, a leader in foodservice products manufacturing, has won numerous awards for the development of phade®, including the 2020 Innovation in Biopolymer Award from the Plastics Industry Association, and the 2021 Innovation in Foodservice Award for Sustainability Solutions from the National Restaurant Association. phade® was also recognized as a finalist or honorable mention in 4 out of 5 categories in Fast Company’s 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards.
WinCup’s focus on sustainable solutions was bolstered in September 2020 when Los Angeles-based global private investment firm Atar Capital acquired the company. Among Atar’s core principles is a commitment to sustainability and investing in companies that work toward protecting the environment.
About WinCup, Inc.
WinCup, Inc. is headquartered in Stone Mountain, Georgia. WinCup is a leading manufacturer of traditional and sustainable disposable cups, bowls, containers, lids, and straws. The company’s eight manufacturing locations are committed to high-quality products and superior customer service. To learn more, please visit www.wincup.com and www.phadeproducts.com.
