What Transcend Packaging does

Transcend Packaging Ltd is a Wales-based, privately held manufacturer of fibre-based packaging founded in 2017 and headquartered in Ystrad Mynach, with operations serving global foodservice customers including McDonald's. The company targets large enterprise buyers across global coffee chains, hotel groups, quick-service restaurants, travel hubs, workplaces, healthcare settings, and live events, supplying compostable and recyclable alternatives to plastic-lined foodservice packaging.

The product portfolio comprises single wall cups (4oz to 20oz), double wall cups (8oz to 12oz), paper straws (standard and mineral coated variants), and folded cartons for food packaging applications including drinks carriers, takeaway boxes, burger boxes, chip scoops, and clamshells. Its flagship product, the Rubicon Cup, uses a proprietary natural mineral barrier coating to replace PE and polymer linings, delivering a cup designed to compost in approximately three months under home composting conditions and to remain outside the scope of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive. Products are certified under FSC, PEFC, Flustix, Seedling, DIN, and DIN-BIO-BASED schemes, and the company supports customer compliance with EU SUPD, UK Plastic Packaging Tax, and EU PPWR.

Transcend generates revenue through B2B product sales to enterprise customers, supported by direct enterprise field sales with dedicated Key Account Managers and a Head of Key Accounts function. Pricing is opaque and quote-based with no published price list, and the company supports both high-volume production runs and bespoke branded runs. The company has raised approximately $17.85 million in disclosed funding across 2018-2020, plus a multimillion-pound investment in July 2024 from Innovation Investment Capital Limited Partnership (backed by the Cardiff Capital Region) and ITOCHU Corporation, the latter signaling strategic alignment for international expansion.

Name

Transcend Packaging

Legal name

Transcend Packaging Ltd

Website

https://transcendpackaging.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Transcend Packaging is a Wales-based manufacturer of fibre-based, PE-free packaging including cups, straws, and folded cartons for global foodservice brands. Its mineral-barrier technology replaces plastic linings, serving customers such as McDonald's across coffee chains, hotels, QSRs, and travel hubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Food Packaging

NAICS

Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing (322220), Paperboard Container Manufacturing (32221), Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing (322212)

SIC

Papers & Allied Products (2600), Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650)

akta.pro primary industry

Paper-Based Foodservice Packaging (Cups, Lids, Trays, Takeout Containers) (IMALACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foodservice/To-Go Packaging (Cups, Clamshells, Cutlery) (IMALAHAM), Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB), Foodservice Disposables (cups, plates, bowls, trays, clamshells) (IMAMAHAI), Mono-Material & Recyclability-Designed Packaging (Design-for-Recycling, Barrier Alternatives) (IMALAMAD)

Keywords

• Fibre-based packaging
• Paper cup manufacturing
• Sustainable food packaging
• Compostable packaging solutions
• Plastic-free paper products

Headquarters

HQ city

Ystrad Mynach

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fibre-based Packaging Product Sales: Transcend Packaging manufactures and sells fibre-based packaging products including single wall cups, double wall cups, folded cartons, and paper straws to foodservice brands. Revenue is generated through B2B product sales to enterprise customers including global coffee chains, hotels, workplaces, healthcare settings, travel hubs, and live events. The company offers both high-volume production runs and bespoke branded runs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Transcend Packaging designs, engineers, and manufactures fibre-based, compostable, and recyclable paper packaging products — including single wall cups (4oz–20oz), double wall cups (8oz–12oz), paper straws (standard and mineral coated), and folded cartons (drinks carriers, takeaway boxes, burger boxes, leakproof cartons, sleeves, food trays, clamshells, etc.) — for global foodservice brands. Its flagship innovation, the Rubicon Cup, uses a proprietary natural mineral barrier coating in place of traditional PE/polymer plastic linings, delivering a PE-free, polymer-free cup that composts in approximately three months in home composting conditions and is designed to be out of scope of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive.

Product overview

Transcend Packaging is a European leader in fibre-based packaging, offering a portfolio of sustainable paper and fibre packaging solutions. The core product lineup includes Single Wall Cups and Double Wall Cups in various sizes (4oz to 20oz), Paper Straws (standard and mineral coated), and Folded Cartons (including drinks carriers, takeaway boxes, burger boxes, and more). The flagship product is the Rubicon Cup, a next-generation PE-free cup with natural mineral barrier technology that composts in approximately three months. All products are designed to replace plastic packaging with compostable and recyclable fibre-based alternatives without compromising performance. The company serves global coffee chains, hotels, workplaces, healthcare settings, travel hubs, and live events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rubicon: A next-generation, PE-free cup engineered to compost in approximately three months in home composting conditions, without compromising strength, heat resistance or user experience. Represents a genuine step forward in fibre-based packaging using a natural mineral barrier instead of plastic linings.

Products and services

• Single Wall Cup Fibre-based, recyclable and compostable single wall paper cups for hot and cold beverages, available in four sizes (4oz, 7oz, 16oz, 20oz), designed for high-volume foodservice use and to replace PE/plastic-lined packaging.
• Double Wall Cup Fibre-based double wall paper cups with enhanced insulation and comfort to keep beverages warmer for longer, available in 8oz (240ml) and 12oz (360ml), targeting foodservice brands seeking sustainable alternatives to plastic-lined cups.
• Paper Straws Durable fibre-based paper straws available as standard and mineral coated variants in multiple sizes (6x240mm, 8x230mm, 6x200mm, 8x200mm, 8x240mm) with bespoke sizing available, designed to deliver reliable performance and replace plastic straws for foodservice brands (McDonald's is a named customer).
• Folded Cartons Versatile fibre-based folded carton packaging solutions engineered for efficient storage, transport, and performance, including drinks carriers, takeaway boxes, cake/bakery boxes, leakproof cartons, popcorn boxes, burger boxes, chip scoops, sleeves, food trays, carry pack/handle boxes, clamshells, and nacho trays, for foodservice and takeaway brands.
• Rubicon Cup Flagship next-generation, PE-free and polymer-free paper cup using a proprietary natural mineral barrier coating in place of traditional plastic linings; composts in approximately three months in home composting conditions without compromising strength, heat resistance, or user experience, and is designed to be out of scope of the EU SUPD while being fully recyclable and compostable.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rubicon Cup composts in approximately three months in home composting conditions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/transcendpacka1

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Transcend Packaging