Plant based beverage lids are compostable

World Centric said it introduced its new World Centric Leaf fiber lid collection for hot and cold cups and bowls at the 2020 International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, with availability nationwide starting in March 2020.

Made from unbleached plant fiber, the new collection replaces the use of conventional, petroleum-based plastic lids to provide a truly 100 percent compostable solution for foodservice operators, the company said.

The World Centric Leaf fiber lid collection is durable, freezer safe and suitable for cold or hot items up to 220°F, including beverages such as coffee, tea and hot cocoa. The molded fiber lids are made with unbleached plant fiber sourced from rapidly renewable plants like sugarcane and bamboo and contain no petroleum plastics, requiring less energy to manufacture compared to the typical polystyrene coffee lid.

The lids compost within two to four months in a commercial composting facility and significantly expand the company’s range of tree-free and petroleum plastic-free disposable products, World Centric said.

Combined with World Centric NoTree cups and bowls made of tree-free paper sourced from renewable fibers like sugarcane bagasse and bamboo, restaurants, coffee bars, colleges and universities, hotels, hospitals and many other foodservice operators can now create a truly 100 percent compostable foodservice operation using sustainably produced products, according to World Centric.

“We are thrilled to unveil our new World Centric Leaf lid collection,” said Mark Stephany, vice president of sales. “Using unbleached plant fibers to make our lids helps protect forest habitats that support both indigenous cultures and wildlife, while providing our foodservice customers an alternative to traditional disposable products.”

By innovating in plant-based materials and design, World Centric said it has developed more than 250 foodservice and retail products across tableware, cutlery and food packaging.