FLO launches R-Hybrid SKY: the first vending cup made with food-grade post-consumer recycled polystyrene, already compliant with PPWR.

R-Hybrid SKY is the new generation of vending cups designed by FLO to combine advanced eco-design with food-grade post-consumer recyclability, marking a unique innovation in the world of food packaging. Its name comes from the blue color, a distinctive sign of its sustainability and a symbol of commitment for those adopting it, choosing responsible, safe packaging that complies with European regulations.

This latest innovation from FLO concludes a journey that began over 15 years ago with the first plastic cup prototype, with a clear goal: to progressively reduce environmental impact without compromising quality and performance. R-Hybrid SKY will be available from the end of 2025 and will gradually replace the current R-Hybrid, offering significant benefits in terms of sustainability and circularity.

Compared to R-Hybrid, which already holds the world record as the first vending cup made with post-consumer recycled PS, R-Hybrid SKY takes a further step forward with optimized eco-design—lighter, reducing the use of virgin material and further lowering the product’s carbon footprint—and with post-consumer PS suitable for direct coffee contact, guaranteeing performance equivalent to traditional single-use cups in terms of quality and hygiene.

The new cup also anticipates the new standards set by the European packaging regulation PPWR, in terms of:

• Design for recycling: monomaterial and free of mineral fillers, ensuring full recyclability in existing facilities;

• Ecodesign: new lightweight shape to reduce waste without compromising performance;

• Post-consumer recycled content: up to 25%, more than double the EU target for 2030.

“R-Hybrid SKY represents a new milestone for us, combining technological evolution with both environmental and economic sustainability,” says Erika Simonazzi, Group FLO Marketing Director. “Today, with our team of LCA specialists, we can support customers in ESG reporting, providing precise data on Carbon Footprint (CFP) required by Scope 3.”

R-Hybrid SKY integrates into the RiVending system, promoted by Confida and Corepla, allowing the cup to be fully recycled and turned into new raw material. This gives rise to the Cup2Cup model, a virtuous cycle that goes beyond the concept of single-use and adds value to waste.