Louise Walsh
Edible coffee cups are proving a huge hit for a sustainable Co Meath restaurant whose staff are doing their bit in reducing the amount of disposable cups littering the country.
The vegan cups are like having a healthy snack and coffee in one and start composting thirty minutes after use anyway, even if not eaten.
You can nibble on the cup as you sip your coffee or wait until the cup is empty before dining on the wafer-like snack, explains Geraldine Nelson, manager of Room 8 in Navan.
"When we were opening back up after lockdown, we were looking for sustainable ways to serve food and when we heard of these edible coffee cups, we said we would do a trial run."
"The owner Aidan Cosgrove and the staff always looking for something different, especially in these times when you really have to sink or swim.
The vegan cups are like having a healthy snack and coffee in one and start composting thirty minutes after use anyway, even if not eaten
"We always try and source local in order to have the freshest produce and the Cupffee cups were an even bigger draw when we learned that the supplier was based up the road in Ashbourne.
"So far, they are really proving a hit. It's a win, win. For just €1 extra, you can get a coffee and a snack, help the environment and you don't have to worry about looking for a bin to put the takeaway cup into.
It withstands the heat for 30 minutes so you can nibble on it as you sip your coffee
"The cup itself comes in two different sizes. I thought at first sight, it would taste like a Farrelly's Rusk but it's not that sweet - it's almost like a strong wafer taste.
"It withstands the heat for 30 minutes so you can nibble on it as you sip your coffee. If it's not eaten after that time, it starts to go soggy and soft and begins to compost.
"We have only been selling them for a few months but already word is getting out and sales are going up all the time. I think people are more than happy to try and help the environment if there are products in place to help them," she concluded.
