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This Coffeehouse Is Embracing Plastic, but With a TwistThis Coffeehouse Is Embracing Plastic, but With a Twist

The 787 Coffee chain created a TikTok sensation with its coffee served in what looks oddly like a colostomy bag.

Norbert Sparrow

October 22, 2024

1 Min Read
787 Coffee logo
Image courtesy of 787 Coffee

It all started on TikTok, as everything does these days, and now people are apparently lining up at 787 Coffee locations in NYC to have their lattes served — not in a cup — but in a plastic pouch that, to some eyes, bears a striking resemblance to a colostomy bag. Others, like one satisfied customer quoted by the New York Post, evoked a kinder comparison: “It feels kind of nostalgic . . . like a Capri Sun.” Either way, it’s a bit surprising that a plastic container of any kind is getting so much love in the deep blue enclave of Manhattan.

The chain originated in Puerto Rico, where it sources its coffee beans. Its name, 787, references one of the two area codes of the US territory. As you might expect from a conscientious purveyor of caffeinated beverages, the 787 Coffee mission statement — which it calls a mantra — aspires to “doing what’s right for our communities and our planet.” That is manifested by its farm-to-cup approach, along with sundry feel-good bromides you can explore on the company's website.

It does beg the question, however: How does plastic, which conventional wisdom deems neither good for humans nor the planet, get a pass. Co-founder Brandon Peña explained to the Gothamist that the flexible plastic containers dissolve faster than hard plastic, reducing their environmental impact, and that they are reusable, “which allows customers to repurpose in creative ways.”

Related:Big Brands Back Reusable Cups Trial in CA

787 Coffee has a couple dozen locations in New York, New Jersey, Texas, and Puerto Rico. By almost all accounts, the coffee is very tasty, regardless of what it’s served in.

About the Author

Norbert Sparrow

Editor in chief of PlasticsToday since 2015, Norbert Sparrow has more than 30 years of editorial experience in business-to-business media. He studied journalism at the Centre Universitaire d'Etudes du Journalisme in Strasbourg, France, where he earned a master's degree.

www.linkedin.com/in/norbertsparrow

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