Fast food chain Hesburger is adopting Huhtamaki’s fibre-based lids for its beverage cups in a bid to eliminate 41,000 kg of plastic from its operations every year.
Previously described as Finland’s largest hamburger restaurant chain, Hesburger currently operates in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Germany, Ukraine, Poland, and Romania. As of 2025, its total taxable sales in Finland reached approximately €327 million, while its overseas locations generated around €242 million in taxable sales.
Now, Hesburger is introducing fibre-based lids for its soft drinks and medium and large hot drink cups. These lids are tailored for Hesburger products and designed to resist both heat and moisture, with an improved lid fit and tighter spout set to reduce the risk of leaks.
Additionally, the lids are made from fully renewable, forest-certified natural fibres with no plastic coatings. Manufactured at Huhtamaki’s Foodservice site in Alf, Germany, they are said to be recyclable as cardboard or biowaste at end-of-life.
“We started the development work with Huhtamäki back in 2025, when we first introduced the fibre lids,” says Eeva Mäki, international sustainability manager at Hesburger. “Based on the feedback we received from customers and staff, we decided to start developing our own branded fibre lid. The goal was to create a more functional and completely plastic-free solution.
“The new covers have received mostly positive feedback, and they have been found to be more functional and quicker to install than their predecessors.”
“The development work with Hesburger has been both smooth and insightful, supporting the sustainability goals of both organizations,” adds Mira Eklund, key account manager at Huhtamaki. “This collaboration is a strong reflection of our valued partnership with Hesburger.”
The new lids will be gradually introduced to Finnish restaurants as current stocks run out. Hesburger plans to expand their use to other countries in the future.
Other fast food chains have also taken steps to reduce plastics in their operations. Kwalitaria aims to avoid 6.9 tonnes of plastic waste every year by serving its fries and snacks on Notpla’s cardboard trays with a seaweed-based coating.
McDonald’s Japan has also decided to package its Happy Meal toys in FSC-certified paper bags – but it has replaced its paper straws with ‘strawless’ rPET lids. While no official reason was given for the switch, consumers remain divided over the practicality of the new lids.
In another collaboration, Huhtamaki worked alongside Printzells Confectionery to package its nut-based spread in recyclable paper cups and lids. Each component is thought to be suitable for local paper waste management.
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