Changing attitudes towards the role of reusable beverage cups in the hospitality sector since the onset of Covid-19 has led to a surge of interest in hygienic cup dispensers, according to one catering equipment supplier.
East Sussex-based Mitchell & Cooper said it was seeing much greater appetite for its Bonzer dispensers as a result of operators changing their beverage provisions.
Managing director, Guy Cooper, said: “In recent years, foodservice outlets have significantly reduced the quantity of disposable cups being purchased, with many operators financially incentivising customers to utilise reusable alternatives.
“However, with a much greater focus in recent weeks on hygiene and reducing the amount of ‘touchpoints’ for both customers and staff, the demand for single-use options has significantly increased and with that, the need to store them hygienically.”
Mr Cooper said that the quality of the gasket is key to the hygiene credentials of a dispenser. This helps to seal the rim of the cup from external elements, while a tight fit will ensure that just one cup is dispensed at a time.
Mitchell & Cooper’s Bonzer range of dispensers include traditional gravity-fed options that can be wall mounted for an immediate solution, right through to elevated options that can be installed vertically or horizontally and feature a spring mounted mechanism.
They all come with a food-grade silicone gasket designed to withstand daily usage.
Mr Cooper added: “Whilst the arguments for reusable options cannot be denied from an environmental perspective, there were many questions about their use from a hygiene one, even before the situation we find ourselves in now.
“Although disposable cups provide a more hygienic solution, this is only the case if they are stored in the correct way. Cup dispensers not only provide this, but also deliver the perfect solution for self-service locations where the customer is in control.”
