Packaging /
Join us ‘in the pink’
International Paper Foodservice Europe, a specialist in the manufacture of paper board food packaging solutions, and the charity, Against Breast Cancer, has announced its desire to work together to introduce a promotional Pink Ribbon hot drinks cup. To kick-start this exciting project a retail partner is also needed and retailers are now invited to get on board to help raise money to stop this disease claiming so many lives.
The pink ribbon is an internationally-recognised symbol associated with breast cancer. The introduction of the Pink Ribbon cup will help to raise money for the Against Breast Cancer charity in the UK, with International Paper Foodservice Europe pledging an initial sponsorship fee and further funds raised per cup sold. Promotional sales of the Pink Ribbon hot drinks cup are expected to be particularly pertinent to tie-in with International Women’s Day in March and Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.
Against Breast Cancer is a small charity, based in Oxfordshire, which funds pioneering research into new treatments, tools for earlier diagnosis and advice to reduce the risk of recurrence and secondary spread of this devastating disease. One in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer nationwide, making it the most common cancer in the UK.
In October 2015, Against Breast Cancer confirmed its commitment to fund a four-year project at Oxford University to make new breast cancer treatments that stick to cancerous breast cells that have spread throughout the body and established new tumours in the bones, lungs, liver or brain. This currently incurable condition is called metastases or secondary spread; one in five breast cancer cases results in fatal metastases. Dr. Weston Struwe of the Glycoprotein Therapeutics Laboratory will make and test novel antibodies for secondary spread that avoid damaging healthy cells whilst targeting the cancerous ones, no matter where they are in the body or how small the tumour.
In the USA, International Paper Foodservice Europe’s parent company already supports breast cancer charities with the Pink Ribbon hot beverage cup, with 20 per cent of all International Paper profits from Pink Ribbon product sales being donated to Breast Cancer Research & Awareness. International Paper Foodservice Europe plans to launch the Pink Ribbon cup in the UK’s three most popular hot beverage sizes – 8oz, 12oz and 16oz – with pink lids to match.
The Pink Ribbon cup is also an ethical and sustainable product, which is a perfect fit for a charity that is dedicated to saving lives. It is manufactured from paper board that meets Sustainability Forestry Initiative® (SFI) certified sourcing standards. International Paper is also registered with Sedex, the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange, which is a membership organisation striving to drive improvements in responsible and ethical business practices in global supply chains.
Commenting on the initiative, David Lawlor, Sales and Marketing Director of International Paper Foodservice Europe, said: “Cancer is a disease that affects the lives of most of us in one way or another as we grow older. If we are lucky enough to escape it ourselves, we will know someone – a family member or close friend – who has not been so fortunate. When we started to look at what we could do to increase our support of charities, introducing the Pink Ribbon cup to the UK in support of a breast cancer charity seemed like an obvious step. However, in order to make an impact we need the support of retailers to help roll out this initiative and make a real difference to breast cancer patient outcomes.
“As a manufacturer, we can make the product available to the market, but we need retailers to buy-into the concept, as they have the power to turn hot beverages Pink in support of this worthy cause.”
International Paper Foodservice Europe also has a marketing programme in place, including a social media campaign that will generate interest and raise consumer awareness of the Pink Ribbon cup, the role it is playing in raising money for Against Breast Cancer and the pioneering work the charity is involved with.
“Join us, and together let us help Against Breast Cancer to relegate this disease to the history books,” concluded David Lawlor.
