Official guests at the event were the Minister of Economy Daniela Vezieva and the Mayor of Plovdiv Zdravko Dimitrov
“We have this unique company, unique brand, which is a sign that the circular economy in Bulgaria is developing.” shared Ms. Vezieva, Minister of Economy. She also mentioned her hope that companies such as Cupffee will apply with projects to the Ministry can support through the Green Climate and the Circular Economy funds.
Established in 2014 in Plovdiv by local entrepreneur Miroslav Zapryanov, Cupffee is an active participant in the global “green revolution”. The company produces organic cups from all-natural and environmentally friendly raw materials, which are baked using a special technology that allows them to retain their shape for 40 minutes, regardless of the liquid’s temperature.
“I am extremely proud and happy that Plovdiv is an incubator of innovative and creative companies like Cupffee,” said Zdravko Dimitrov, Mayor of Plovdiv.
The new factory is the perfect example of the rapid development of “Industry 4.0” in Bulgaria with its high level of automation and digitalization, with Mr. Zapryanov sharing that one of Cupffee’s ambitions is the purchase of 3 additional machines which will increase the turnover to 10 million units per month.
Miroslav Zapryanov found the inspiration for Cupffee in search for a solution to the global problem with single-use plastic, which takes hundreds of years to break down. His idea was realized in 2014, with the production starting four years later.
In addition to being edible and biodegradable, Cupffee cups are vegan and GMO-free, attracting many customers. Cupffee’s product is available in over 30 countries – from Europe, through Dubai and Malaysia, to New Zealand and the United States. Owing to its innovativeness, on April 22, 2019 the Plovdiv cups became part of the first single-use plastic free flight in the world, operated by Etihad.