What Cup Concept does

Cup Concept Mehrwegsysteme GmbH, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Sexau, Germany, develops, produces, sells, and rents printed reusable plastic cups and dishware for professional B2B and event use. The company serves sports stadiums, festivals and concerts, beverage manufacturers, corporate canteens, municipalities, amusement parks, and private events across 12+ European countries. All products are manufactured in-house by its Austrian parent company FRIES Kunststofftechnik GmbH using injection molding, and are offered in a range of formats including the flagship Design Cup (six sizes, three variants), the SL Cup, Arena Cup, Super Cup, Hot to Go Cup, Automatenbecher, Shotbecher, Wine Cup (Tritan), and complementary tableware (bowls, plates, cutlery, fries bowls). Customization is delivered through three proprietary printing technologies — digital print, screen print, and IML photo print — and is supported by an online 3D configurator.

The business operates three revenue streams: one-time product sales (minimum order quantities vary by print method, e.g., digital print from 100 units, screen print from 500, IML from 3,000), recurring rental/leasing (per rental day, with delivery, collection, and industrial cleaning included), and professional printing services as an add-on to purchased items. GTM is hybrid: self-serve e-commerce (shop.cupconcept.com) for SMB/consumer buyers, and a dedicated sales team handling enterprise field sales for orders of 5,000+ units, routed via CRM and supported by a pan-European partner network (Danish subsidiary, NDT Europe in Croatia, SIA ASTRO in the Baltics). Operations are anchored by an industrial-scale washing infrastructure that cleans 40 million cups annually, an own fleet for logistics, and localized websites in 12+ languages. The company is privately held under FRIES Kunststofftechnik and discloses no revenue or external funding.

Name

Cup Concept

Legal name

CUP CONCEPT Mehrwegsysteme GmbH

Website

https://cupconcept.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cup Concept Mehrwegsysteme GmbH, founded in 1993 in Sexau, Germany, manufactures, sells, and rents printed reusable plastic cups and dishware — produced in-house by parent FRIES Kunststofftechnik — serving sports stadiums, festivals, beverage manufacturers, canteens, and municipalities across 12+ European countries with full-service rental, washing, and logistics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reusable Plastic Cups & Tableware

NAICS

Other Plastics Product Manufacturing (32619)

akta.pro primary industry

Foodservice/To-Go Packaging (Cups, Clamshells, Cutlery) (IMALAHAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beverage Packaging (Bottles, Cans, Cartons, Kegs) (IMALAHAD)

Keywords

• Reusable plastic cups
• Custom printed cups
• Cup rental services
• Reusable tableware systems
• Event dishware rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Sexau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (One-Time Purchase): Customers purchase reusable cups and dishware directly. Products are available undecorated or with custom printing (digital, screen, or IML). Pricing is unit-based with minimum order quantities varying by product and print method (e.g., digital print from 100 units, screen print from 500 units, IML from 3,000 units).
2. Rental / Leasing of Reusable Cups and Dishware: Cup Concept rents reusable cups and dishware to event organizers, festivals, stadiums, and municipalities. The rental fee is calculated per rental day. Services include delivery, collection, and professional cleaning. Customers cannot have rented cups printed — printing is only available on purchased items.
3. Custom Printing Services: Customers can order custom printing on purchased cups using digital print, screen print, or IML photo print. The printing is offered as an add-on service integrated into the product purchase order.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cup Concept manufactures, sells, and rents printed reusable plastic cups and tableware (cups, bowls, plates, cutlery, wine glasses) for professional use at events, stadiums, festivals, canteens, and municipalities. The offering spans in-house European production, custom printing (digital, screen, IML photo), rental logistics with delivery/collection, and industrial cleaning at European washing centers. Products are sold outright via an e-commerce shop and rented on a per-day basis for large events.

Product overview

Cup Concept is a provider of reusable plastic cups and tableware systems for professional use at events, festivals, stadiums, canteens, and municipalities. The portfolio is organized around physical products (cups, bowls, plates, cutlery) manufactured in Austria by parent company FRIES Kunststofftechnik GmbH, supported by a full-service offering that includes production, industrial cleaning, logistics, and printing customization. The product line centers on the Design Cup (flagship bestseller available in 6 sizes and 3 variants including transparent, crystal-clear, and glitter), complemented by specialized cups: the SL Cup (ultra-lightweight), Super Cup (large with handle), Arena Cup (stadium cup with handle), Hot to Go Cup (for hot beverages), Automatenbecher (vending machine cup), and Shotbecher (shot glass). Tableware includes the Bowl (universal), Mehrwegteller (plates in 2 sizes), Pommesschale (fries bowl), and Mehrwegbesteck (cutlery). A Wine Cup 0.4l in Tritan material serves wine and spritz beverages. All cups can be customized with three printing technologies (Digitaldruck, Siebdruck, IML-Fotodruck). A cloud-based 3D Konfigurator enables online cup design and ordering. Services span custom reusable concept design for verticals (stadiums, festivals, cities, canteens), industrial washing/cleaning at European hubs, and Europe-wide logistics with a proprietary fleet.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Design Cup Bestseller reusable plastic cup available in 6 sizes (0.1 l to 0.5 l) and three variants (transparent, crystal-clear, and glitter), customizable with digital, screen, or IML photo printing. Configurable online via the 3D designer. Food-safe and CE-marked.
• Automatenbecher Reusable coffee cup designed for vending machine use, as a durable replacement for single-use paper cups.
• Shotbecher Break-resistant plastic reusable shot glasses for spirits, offering a safer alternative to glass at events.
• Arena Cup Plastic reusable cup with a handle, designed for stadium and arena use. Available with IML photo printing customization.
• Hot to Go Cup Robust reusable cup designed for hot beverages. Made from durable plastic, suitable for coffee and tea service. Available with IML photo printing.
• Super Cup Reusable cup with a handle, available in sizes up to 1.0 l, designed to maximize revenue through its distinctive shape. Available with IML photo printing.
• SL Cup Ultra-lightweight reusable plastic cup designed for safety and comfort. Features a surrounding stacking rim and stable base edge. Available in 4 sizes from 0.25 l to 0.5 l. Customizable with IML photo printing.
• Wine Cup 0.4l Reusable plastic wine glass for wine and sparkling beverages (e.g., Aperol Spritz, Hugo), made with Tritan material offering crystal clarity and high durability. Dishwasher safe and odor-neutral. Available with screen printing.
• Bowl Universal reusable dish, multi-purpose bowl suitable for a wide range of food service applications at events and catering.
• Pommesschale Reusable fries bowl for serving french fries at events, environmentally friendly and practical.
• Mehrwegteller Classic reusable plate available in two sizes (Ø 18 cm and Ø 24 cm), in pure white. Available with tampography (Tampondruck) customization.
• Mehrwegbesteck

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 million cups cleaned annually across European washing infrastructure
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and minor.

• FRIES Kunststofftechnik GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFRIES Kunststofftechnik GmbH (Austria) is the parent company and sole manufacturer of Cup Concept's entire product range. It is a globally recognized company specializing in injection molding technology with its own engineering department. All reusable cups and dishware are produced in-house by FRIES at their Austrian facility, ensuring quality control, proprietary manufacturing capability, and supply chain integration.
• NDT EuroperegionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNDT Europe is the official Cup Concept partner in Croatia. Located in Ludbreg, Croatia, the company handles sales, rental inquiries, and customer service for Cup Concept's reusable cup solutions in the Croatian market.
• SIA ASTROregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSIA ASTRO is the official Cup Concept partner in Latvia, located in Riga. The company represents Cup Concept and provides local sales and service support for reusable cup and dishware solutions.
• CloudLab Sales & Management GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationCloudLab Sales & Management GmbH (Gerberstraße 1, 44135 Dortmund, Germany) provides and maintains Cup Concept's e-commerce platform based on Magento, as well as web-to-print systems and personalized product configuration software. CloudLab handles both technical support and hosting of the web shop on its own servers.
• CreditreformminorOthersCreditreform is used by Cup Concept for creditworthiness checks (Bonitätsprüfung) on B2B customers to mitigate payment default risk. Data shared includes name, address, and date of birth.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stora Enso Oyj: Swedish-Finnish pulp and paper manufacturer with a growing foodservice packaging business, including molded fiber cups and containers. Stora Enso's investment in fiber-based reusable alternatives positions it as a potential material-substitution threat to Cup Concept's plastic-based reusable products.
• Huhtamäki Oyj: Global foodservice packaging manufacturer headquartered in Finland, with a broad portfolio of cups, plates, and containers. While primarily focused on single-use foodservice packaging, Huhtamäki has been expanding into reusable and fiber-based alternatives, making it a broad incumbent adjacent to Cup Concept's market.

Emerging players

• Circular&Co (rCUP): UK-based reusable cup brand and circular packaging company offering its own rCUP line plus consultancy for reusable systems. Overlaps with Cup Concept in stadium, festival, and event reusable cup applications, with a UK/European market focus.
• Globelet: New Zealand-headquartered reusable cup and container company with operations across multiple geographies. Serves events, festivals, and venues with reusable systems and washing infrastructure, directly comparable to Cup Concept's event rental model.
• Kaffeeform GmbH: German manufacturer of reusable coffee cups made from recycled coffee grounds. While focused on a different material and product (coffee cups vs. event cups), Kaffeeform competes for the same end-customers seeking sustainable reusable drinkware, including cafés and coffee chains.
• Re-Engineering LLC (r.World | r.Cup): US-based reusable cup and packaging company serving events, sports venues, and foodservice operators with washing services. Operates a comparable end-to-end reusable cup system in North America, analogous to Cup Concept's European model.

Direct peers

• RECUP GmbH: Germany's largest reusable cup pool system, operating via deposit-based sharing at thousands of cafés and restaurants. RECUP directly competes with Cup Concept in the German market by offering a different distribution model (shared pool vs. dedicated rental) for the same core use case of replacing single-use cups.
• Relevo GmbH: German reusable cup system provider offering deposit-based reusable cups to events, canteens, and foodservice operators. Relevo is a direct competitor to Cup Concept's rental business, particularly for festivals, stadiums, and corporate customers seeking reusable alternatives.
• FairCup GmbH: German reusable cup specialist serving festivals, events, and food service operators with pooled cup systems. FairCup is a direct competitor in the German event-cup rental market, with comparable target customers and washing/rental infrastructure.
• Vytal Global GmbH: App-based reusable to-go container network operating across Europe, allowing consumers to borrow and return containers at participating restaurants. Vytal competes for the same end-customer sustainability use case, with a tech-led, asset-light model that contrasts Cup Concept's owned-infrastructure approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cupconcepts
• Facebookfacebook.com/cupconceptbelgium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Cup Concept