CupXchange

What CupXchange does

CupXchange is a Rotterdam-headquartered private company that operates a full-service reusable cup system for Dutch businesses and events, eliminating the need for organizations to procure, wash, or dispose of beverage cups themselves. The core offering consists of biobased HDPE coffee cups (210ml, ≥250 wash cycles) and transparent PP festival cups in 150ml, 200ml, and 400ml sizes, supported by the Inzamelmeubel collection cabinet and the Impactmeter dashboard, which tracks CO2, waste, and social-hours outcomes. Logistics are operated through zero-emission last-mile partners (Hubbel, Groene Rijders, Cityhub, De Fietskoerier Utrecht), while cup washing is performed at five regional facilities across the Netherlands (Rotterdam, Arnhem, Utrecht, Amsterdam/Diemen, The Hague, Eindhoven) operated in partnership with regional social development companies (Ergon, Pantar, UW, Den Haag Werkt, Werkplein Drentsche Aa), creating employment for people with distance to the labor market.

The business generates revenue through three streams: a recurring coffee cup subscription (Koffiebekerabonnement) for offices, one-time rental and event services (including the Uitagenda Beker deposit-return program with Rotterdam Festivals covering ~90,000 cups), and a standalone washing service (Afwasservice) for reusable cups and packaging, augmented by the mobile Spoelkeukenbrigade. Pricing is quote-based; a published event example of ~€625 for a 5,000-cup job illustrates per-cup economics in the low-double-digit cents. The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales with named accounts including Ahold Delhaize, Heijmans, Sweco, Alliander, Peeze, RPI Print, and FC Eindhoven, complemented by partner referrals from social development companies and impact financiers (Rabo Foundation, Start Foundation). CupXchange's role in the Dutch market is anchored to the January 2024 SUP (Single-Use Plastics) regulation, which mandates reusable alternatives for on-site consumption, and the company holds Code Sociaal Ondernemingen certification plus Amsterdam social-firma recognition, positioning it for Social Return procurement obligations. Reported 2024 impact metrics include 105,000 kg of waste prevented, 84,000 kg of CO2 avoided, and 70 social jobs created.

Name

CupXchange

Legal name

CupXchange

Website

https://cupxchange.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CupXchange operates a full-service reusable cup rental, delivery, and washing business for Dutch offices and events, using biobased HDPE/PP cups washed at five regional social-enterprise facilities to deliver SUP-compliant beverage service with measurable social-employment impact.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coffee Cup Subscription (Abonnement): Recurring subscription service for organizations providing reusable cups, collection furniture, delivery, pick-up, and washing. Targets offices and businesses that want to replace disposable cups without managing logistics in-house.
2. One-time Rental / Event Service: One-time or event-based rental of reusable cups with collection and washing service. For events and festivals. Includes transport and washing service fees.
3. Washing Service (Afwasservice): Washing service for reusable cups, buckets, pots, and other reusable packaging. Performed by social development companies. Available as standalone service for organizations that have their own cups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CupXchange provides a full-service reusable cup rental and washing operation for Dutch businesses and events. The company delivers clean cups (biobased HDPE coffee cups or transparent PP festival cups), collects used cups from the customer's site, and washes them at social enterprise facilities before redelivering fresh stock. Offerings include a recurring coffee cup subscription for offices, event-based cup rental for festivals, and a standalone washing service for reusable cups and packaging.

Product overview

CupXchange offers a comprehensive reusable cup ecosystem consisting of physical products and supporting services. The core product line includes biobased HDPE reusable cups in three colors and transparent PP festival cups in various sizes. Supporting products include the Inzamelmeubel (collection furniture) for organizing cup distribution and collection on-site. The service portfolio includes a coffee cup subscription for businesses (full-service pickup, delivery, and washing), event rental services, and a washing service for reusable items. Special offerings include the Uitagenda Beker for Rotterdam events and the Spoelkeukenbrigade for on-location dishwashing. All services incorporate social impact through partnerships with social development companies. The Impactmeter add-on provides customers with personalized environmental and social impact tracking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• De Uitagenda Beker: A reusable cup system specifically designed for Rotterdam events, launched in partnership with Rotterdam Festivals, offering over 90,000 reusable cups in three sizes (150ml for wine, 250ml for beer/soda, 400ml for large beer).

Products and services

• Koffiebekerabonnement (Coffee Cup Subscription) Full-service subscription for organizations that provides reusable coffee cups (biobased HDPE), collection furniture, delivery, and washing. CupXchange handles pickup of used cups and delivery of clean cups, eliminating the need for clients to manage cup logistics in-house. Targets offices and businesses replacing disposable cups for SUP compliance.
• Event Rental Service (Voor Evenementen) Rental service for reusable cups at events and festivals. CupXchange delivers sufficient clean cups, collects used cups on-site or back at the washing facility, and handles washing. Designed for events wanting to avoid disposable cups and meet SUP regulations. Includes transport and washing service fees.
• Afwasservice (Washing Service) Standalone professional washing service for reusable cups, buckets, pots, and other reusable packaging. Washing is performed by employees at social development company facilities. Available for organizations that have their own cups but lack in-house washing capacity.
• De Uitagenda Beker Special reusable cup program for Rotterdam events, managed in partnership with Rotterdam Festivals. Features ~90,000 cups in three sizes (150ml wine, 250ml beer/soda, 400ml large beer) with a deposit-return model (€1.50 first drink, €1.00 refund on return, €0.50 donated). Event organizers pay no rental fees as cups are purchased by Uitagenda.
• De Spoelkeukenbrigade (Dishwashing Brigade) Professional on-location dishwashing team that provides dishwashing services at client organizations. The service is social and inclusive, providing people with a distance to the labor market valuable work and meaningful daily activities. Suitable for organizations needing temporary or ongoing dishwashing support.
• Inzamelmeubel (Collection Cabinet) Specially designed collection furniture for reusable cups. Features a sturdy construction with luxury appearance, with clean cups on top shelf and used cups collected below directly into boxes. Includes storage space for additional clean cup inventory. Height 181cm, width 64cm, depth 53cm. Designed for 100-150 persons per unit.
• De Impactmeter (Impact Dashboard) Personalized dashboard for customers showing CO2 savings, waste reduction in kg, number of disposable cups avoided, and social work hours created. Supports SDG reporting and provides transparent impact tracking for sustainability and ESG reporting.
• Bekers (Reusable HDPE Cups) Biobased HDPE reusable coffee cups available in three colors (white, cyan, natural). Lightweight, robust, stackable, dishwasher-safe, and quick-drying. Capacity of 180ml serving volume, 210ml total capacity. Minimum 250 wash cycles. Locally manufactured in the Netherlands.
• Transparante Festival Bekers (Transparent PP Festival Cups) Transparent reusable cups made from PP (polypropylene) for events, available in 150ml (wine), 200ml (soda/beer), and 400ml (large beer) sizes. Also includes specialized wine glasses and gin-tonic glasses. Minimum 250 wash cycles.

Quantifiable outcome

• 105,000 kg of waste prevented per year (21 million disposable cups equivalent)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• ErgonflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2025Social development company (sociaal ontwikkelbedrijf) for the Brainport/Eindhoven region. Ergon operates the cup washing facility and handles transport (via Ergon Post) for CupXchange clients in the region. First client: FC Eindhoven. The partnership was officially launched on 11 July 2025 and a new washing facility was opened in Eindhoven.
• PantarcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Social development company for Greater Amsterdam and Diemen. Pantar washes reusable cups for CupXchange clients in the Amsterdam region, providing work for people with a distance to the labor market. Supports CupXchange's official social firma status in Amsterdam.
• Rotterdam FestivalsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship partnership with Rotterdam Festivals to operate the Uitagenda Beker program — a shared pool of ~90,000 reusable cups for Rotterdam events. CupXchange provides the cup system, logistics, and washing; Rotterdam Festivals manages the program and event connections. Jointly developed the Uitagenda Beker deposit-return model.
• UWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial development company for Utrecht. UW provides three employees to CupXchange (a driver and two washing facility workers). UW remains the employer, CupXchange provides work and training opportunities. Three people with distance to the labor market currently work at CupXchange through this partnership.
• Den Haag WerktminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial work company in The Hague. Partnership for cup washing services and social employment in the The Hague region.
• Werkplein Drentsche AaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial work company (social werkbedrijf) in the Drentsche Aa region. Partnership for cup washing services and social employment.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Notpla: UK-based maker of seaweed-based biodegradable packaging as an alternative to single-use plastics. Adjacent player in the single-use alternatives space, though focused on biodegradable rather than reusable packaging models.

Direct peers

• Recircle: India-based reusable cup and packaging service for events and enterprises. Comparable business model focused on eliminating single-use items through a reusable service platform with washing logistics.
• Muuse: Singapore-based reusable cup service for cafés, events, and offices using IoT-tracked smart cups. Directly comparable in offering reusable cup-as-a-service to enterprise and event customers.
• DeliverZero: US reusable takeout container service for restaurants with a deposit-return model. Comparable operating model in the reusable food packaging service category with washing logistics.
• CupClub: UK-based reusable cup service targeting offices and events with IoT-tracked cups and washing logistics. Directly comparable to CupXchange's subscription and event rental offerings in operating model and customer type.
• GO Box: US-based reusable container service for takeout food operating a deposit-return model similar to CupXchange's Uitagenda Beker. Comparable circular packaging service targeting restaurants and consumers.
• Recup: Germany's leading reusable cup deposit system, operating a full-service reusable cup network with delivery, collection, and industrial washing. Closest international peer to CupXchange and a likely reference point for any EU expansion thesis.
• FairCup: Swiss reusable cup system providing deposit-based cups for events and venues with washing and logistics services. Comparable operating model in a different European geography.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia: Global environmental services leader across waste, water, and energy. Increasingly active in circular packaging and reusable services, representing broad incumbent competition with national-scale logistics reach.
• SUEZ: Major global waste management and circular economy services company with growing reusable packaging initiatives. Represents the large-scale incumbent threat that could enter CupXchange's niche with significantly more capital and infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=rRd_uyI631w
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cupxchange

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 CupXchange