You Have to See the Printing Tech Behind This Beverage Startup

Social media ads can be, well, annoying. That’s why we tend to skip through them or briefly listen to what our favorite influencers have to say about a certain product. But, while scrolling through Instagram myself, I came across one that that was actually worth stopping and checking out: Smart Cups. The product looks like a typical plastic cup, but the company uses a specialized technique to print the hexagon-shaped flavoring directly in the bottom of the cup. This, apparently, makes Smart Cups the first printed beverage.

You’re probably thinking, “How does it work?” Well, all you have to do is add water or your favorite drink to the cup, according to the website. They're vegan, portable and made of an eco-friendly bioplastic, and they have 125 mg of caffeine, no sugar and zero calories or carbs. That makes them an appealing alternative to various other energy drinks, like coffee, Red Bull or soda. And the Smart Cups come in a few different flavors, including Brilliant Berry Margarita Blast, Tropical Recess and Nerdy Lemon Tea.

So far, the startup has plenty of positive reviews on its website. Here’s one from Brandi C.:

“These smart cups definitely helped kickstart my day. I start work very early in the morning and this smart cup was enough to get me going. The flavor I chose was pucker up, and it was really good. Definitely recommend! Already looking forward to my next purchase.”

Screen shot from Smart Cups' website. | Credit: Smart Cups

Of course, there are still some comments on the Smart Cups Instagram page expressing environmental concerns over the single-use cups, but the company has been assuring followers that the product is eco-friendly.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpc0Z4sBXoO/

Either way, this is some mighty interesting printing tech, with some cool possibilities should it ever be available to promo. Imagine printing the flavoring in the shape of a company's logo at the bottom of a cup? We've already seen logos printed directly on fruit.