Name

FairCup GmbH

Legal name

FairCup GmbH

Website

https://fair-cup.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FairCup GmbH operates a Germany-wide reusable deposit-return system for To-Go cups and Takeaway food containers, serving B2B partners such as cafes, bakeries, retailers, and event organizers with certified, Blauer Engel-labelled reusable products and centralized washing logistics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reusable Packaging

NAICS

Packaging and Labeling Services (56191)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee & Tea Service Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAH), Bar & Beverage Service Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAG)

Keywords

• Reusable packaging system
• Deposit return system
• Reusable coffee cups
• Takeaway food containers
• Circular packaging logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Göttingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pfand (Deposit) System: Partners purchase FairCup products and pay a deposit per item (e.g., €1.00 per cup, €2.00 per FairBox bowl). The deposit is held on a clearing account and refunded when the container is returned. This creates a recurring deposit float across the partner network.
2. Systemgebühr (Partner Subscription Fee): Partners pay a recurring system fee for access to the FairCup deposit system. The fee is based on partner needs and contract duration, billed quarterly in advance (with options for monthly or annual billing). Multi-year contracts receive percentage discounts.
3. Fair-Mietservice (Rental for Non-Partners): Non-partners (e.g., individuals hosting events, parties, city festivals, club events) can rent FairCup reusable products directly. This provides one-time or event-based rental revenue without requiring full partner enrollment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FairCup GmbH manufactures and circulates reusable BPA-free plastic food containers (cups, bowls, multi-compartment meal boxes) through a nationwide deposit-return system (Pfandsystem). Partner businesses (cafes, bakeries, retailers, event organizers) pay a per-unit deposit and a recurring system fee to distribute containers to consumers, who return them at any partner location or at certified TOMRA/Sielaff deposit machines inside real and Kaufland supermarkets. The company also operates a washing facility in Göttingen (up to 6,000 cups/hour) and a direct rental service (Fair-Mietservice) for events.

Product overview

FairCup GmbH offers a comprehensive reusable packaging system consisting of multiple interconnected products: FairCup reusable cups (5 sizes from 0.1L to 0.5L) and FairBox reusable bowls (2 sizes) serve as the core containers, complemented by FairMax multi-compartment meal boxes and FairPac dome-lid containers for food service. Accessories include Sporkif reusable cutlery, Drinkick drinking straws, and universal lids compatible across all cup sizes. The system operates on a deposit-return platform with both manual partner-based returns and automated return machine compatibility (TOMRA and Sielaff certified), supported by a digital deposit PWA for electronic tracking. Additional services include a rental program for events and a professional cleaning infrastructure processing up to 6,000 cups per hour.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FairCup: Reusable cups for To-Go beverages, available in five sizes (0.1l to 0.5l), certified for standard return machines
• FairBox
• FairPac
• FairMax
• Sporkif
• Drinkick
• Fair-Mietservice

Products and services

• FairCup Mehrwegbecher (reusable cups) Reusable cups made from dishwasher-safe, BPA-free, melamine-free plastic, available in five sizes (0.1L to 0.5L) and multiple colors, for hot and cold beverages and food. Compatible with universal lids and returnable via standard TOMRA and Sielaff deposit machines. Sold / placed with B2B partners against a €1.00 per-unit deposit.
• FairBox Mehrwegschalen (reusable bowls) Reusable bowls available in 500ml and 1000ml sizes, designed for takeaway meals, salads, and food items. Carries a €2.00 per-unit deposit and is part of the FairCup deposit-return system.
• FairMax Menü-Box (multi-compartment meal box) Multi-compartment meal box system including Vollschale (3cm and 5cm high for plate replacement), two-compartment menu bowls (2x 1000ml), and three-compartment menu bowls (1000ml + 2x 500ml) for diverse hot and cold food service applications. Companion Verschlussdeckel priced at €2.00 deposit.
• FairPac (two-compartment food container) Two-compartment food container with dome lid at approximately 1500ml total capacity, designed as a meal replacement solution for takeaway food. Carries a €5.00 per-unit deposit (lid included).
• Sporkif (reusable spork/cutlery) Reusable spork/cutlery accessory designed for use with FairCup food containers, part of the sustainable multi-use ecosystem.
• Drinkick (reusable drinking straw) Reusable drinking straw compatible with all FairCup cup sizes, part of the sustainable multi-use packaging system.
• Mehrwegdeckel (universal sealing and stacking lids) Universal sealing and stacking lids compatible with all five FairCup cup sizes, plus a dedicated Verschlussdeckel for FairBox and FairMax containers. One lid type fits all cup sizes, reducing partner storage requirements and enabling stackability.
• FairCup Pfandsystem (deposit return system platform) Core operating platform enabling reusable container circulation through partner locations and standard supermarket return machines (TOMRA and Sielaff certified at real and Kaufland). Includes professional cleaning at the Göttingen washing facility (up to 6,000 cups/hour), quality control, and recycling of damaged items. Partners pay a recurring system fee (Systemgebühr, minimum 3-month commitment billed quarterly in advance) and a per-unit deposit that creates a recurring deposit float across the partner network.
• Digitales Pfand (Digital Deposit Progressive Web App) Digital deposit tracking system using QR code scanning via a Progressive Web App. Partners and consumers receive individual QR codes; containers are scanned at checkout and linked to the user's account. Provides a 4-week interest-free deposit period, followed by automatic SEPA direct debit for unreturned containers, with monthly reconciliation.
• Fair-Mietservice (rental service) Rental service allowing non-partners (event organizers, individuals hosting parties, city festivals, club events) to rent reusable cups, salad bowls, plates, menu bowls, and cutlery directly from FairCup without joining the partner deposit system. Provides event-based or one-time rental revenue.

Quantifiable outcome

• bis zu 6000 Mehrwegbecher pro Stunde gespült
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• real (formerly real-Märkte)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018real-Märkte was the first supermarket chain partner for the FairCup deposit-return system, enabling consumers to return FairCup containers at in-store Leergutautomaten (deposit return machines) since 2018. This partnership established the model of using existing supermarket return infrastructure for FairCup products.
• KauflandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Kaufland joined the FairCup deposit-return system as a partner, allowing consumers to return FairCup containers at Kaufland Leergutautomaten. Like real, Kaufland provides the physical return infrastructure for the FairCup deposit system throughout Germany.
• TOMRAcoreTechnology or IntegrationTOMRA is a global leader in reverse vending machines. FairCup products are certified for TOMRA standard deposit return machines, enabling drop-off returns at any TOMRA-equipped location (including real and Kaufland supermarkets).
• SielaffcoreTechnology or IntegrationSielaff is a German manufacturer of vending and deposit return machines. FairCup products are certified for Sielaff standard deposit return machines, expanding the network of return points available to FairCup consumers.
• HEAG-FairCup GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHEAG-FairCup GmbH is a co-entity (affiliated company) of FairCup GmbH, headquartered in Darmstadt. It serves as a contractual partner alongside FairCup GmbH in the FairCup deposit system, broadening the organizational structure of the partnership network.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Globelet Pty Ltd: Australian reusable cup system with a deposit-return model for events and cafes. Comparable operating model to FairCup, including washing logistics and partner-based distribution, though serving a different geography.
• Vegware Ltd: Specialist in compostable foodservice packaging, including hot cups and takeaway containers. While its products are compostable rather than reusable, Vegware sells to the same cafes, bakeries, and food service operators as FairCup, making it a competing sustainable packaging alternative.
• HAY! Straws / Mehrweg-Partner-Lösungen: German reusable cutlery and straw suppliers offering deposit-based reusable alternatives for food service. Comparable to FairCup's Sporkif and Drinkick accessory lines; competes for the same eco-friendly foodservice operator accounts.

Direct peers

• Returnity Innovations: Provider of reusable packaging and reverse logistics solutions for retail and foodservice. Comparable to FairCup in offering reusable container programs with managed collection and cleaning, serving similar B2B customer segments.
• Cup Club: Reusable cup and container system operating in the UK and select EU markets. Comparable business model — deposit-based reusable packaging for coffee shops and food service operators — making it a direct functional peer for FairCup's core offering.
• VYTAL Global GmbH: German reusable food container system using a digital deposit model via app. Targets the same foodservice and QSR partners as FairCup, operating in Germany and several European countries with a comparable deposit-based, returnable packaging offering.
• RECUP GmbH: Germany's largest reusable cup deposit-return system. Operates a similar partner + deposit model with multiple cup sizes and extensive retail return points; directly competes with FairCup for the same partner accounts and consumer return locations.

Broad incumbents

• Huhtamäki Oyj: Global foodservice packaging manufacturer with a growing portfolio of reusable and fiber-based foodservice packaging. Comparable to FairCup in selling foodservice/To-Go packaging to the same customer base, but at a vastly larger scale and from a broader product portfolio.

Others

• Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg (SIM): German non-profit promoting reusable packaging systems. Not a direct competitor, but coordinates industry-wide reusable packaging initiatives in Germany — shaping the same regulatory and market environment that FairCup operates in.

Regional players

• ReCircle AG: Swiss reusable packaging deposit system for cups and food containers. Operates the same partner + return model as FairCup, primarily in Switzerland and adjacent German-speaking regions, posing a regional expansion threat.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/faircup-gmbh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 FairCup GmbH