Edible coffee cups are in testing by New Zealand’s national airline. In a bid to tackle waste, Air New Zealand are testing innovative solutions to meet sustainability challenges. The airline state they serve more than eight million cups of coffee a year and believe that the edible coffee cups could dramatically reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. Air New Zealand have been using compostable plant-based cups, but hope the innovation is an even bigger step in sustainability.
The edible coffee cups are from New Zealand family-run producer Twiice. Each cup is both heat and leak proof, ideal for a hot coffee whilst on the move! Additionally, the cups are vanilla flavoured biscotti, a perfect pairing for a brew. However, the invention contains egg and gluten and may contain traces of nuts, making them unsuitable for all. Trials have begun on the ground in Auckland lounges and on select flights between New Zealand and Australia.
The cups are the latest in a string of pledges by the world’s airlines to become greener and more sustainable. Most recently, Easyjet made an announcement about becoming the ‘first major airline to operate net-zero carbon flights’. In October we reported British Airways latest efforts to offset carbon emissions.
What are your thoughts on the edible coffee cups in the fight for a greener future?
If you would like to know more on how to improve your own carbon footprint when flying, read this handy guide.
Air New Zealand is trialling edible coffee cups. [Photo: PA]