Notpla secures US$4.65M Horizon Europe grant to develop plastic-free coffee cups as industry faces material challenges

UK – Sustainable packaging innovator Notpla has secured a €4 million (US$4.65m) Horizon Europe grant to lead a consortium of 14 partners in developing a fully plastic-free, home-compostable coffee cup range.

The programme aims to replace conventional plastic-lined paper cups, of which an estimated 500 billion are discarded globally each year, with seaweed-based alternatives that offer performance without waste or microplastic pollution.

Paper cups typically contain a thin polyethylene or bioplastic lining to prevent disintegration when exposed to heat.

However, these coatings make the cups difficult to recycle and have been shown to release thousands of microplastic particles into beverages. Studies suggest that drinking from disposable cups once or twice a week could expose consumers to up to 74,000 microplastic particles annually.

Recycling rates remain extremely low, with just 4% of cups recycled in the UK and some estimates placing this figure as low as 0.25%.

Notpla, which won the Earthshot Prize in 2022, is working to redefine the category with a natural, seaweed-derived coating.

Its Gen 1 espresso cup, piloted in Brazil during the 2025 Earthshot Prize ceremony, features a microplastic-free interior surface, sealed with a minimal amount of industry-standard adhesive.

A Gen 2 version, incorporating a natural adhesive, is now under development as the company targets a fully natural, heat-sealed solution.

The Horizon Europe funding supports a holistic development programme covering material testing, biomass sourcing, scalable manufacturing, lifecycle assessment and end-of-life validation.

Partners include Compass Group, University College London, the University of Ferrara, Linköping University, TomaPaint, Plastic Punch and Funditec.

“We are collectively pioneering a truly holistic approach to innovation, performance and environmental safety,” Notpla noted.

Founded in 2014, Notpla has raised £35 million (US$40.72m) to date, replacing more than 21.5 million pieces of plastic and helping avoid 600 tonnes of CO₂e in 2024 alone.

Its seaweed-lined cups and trays are already used across major sports and entertainment venues including Villa Park, the Kia Oval, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Principality Stadium and Allianz Stadium, as well as at UEFA events and The O2.

The project comes at a pivotal moment for the alternative-materials sector. While UK peers Xampla and Australia-based Uluu have secured new investment, others have struggled, Melbourne’s Great Wrap collapsed under A$39 million (US$26.06m) in debt.

According to Supply Change Capital, only 42% of sustainable packaging startups funded between 2016 and 2022 have raised follow-on investment, highlighting industry concerns around scale, functionality and cost competitiveness.

Amid tightening EU regulations and shifting consumer expectations, Notpla’s seaweed-based innovation could help the coffee sector reduce its reliance on plastic linings, if the consortium can prove the technology is scalable, affordable and commercially robust.

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