The coffee industry has been under a lot of pressure over the last couple of years. Industry players wanted to constantly improve their practices and maintain sustainability. One of the major problems faced by the industry was the type of coffee cup. In 2012, Starbucks, the largest organization in the industry, sold hundreds of thousands of coffees every day. All coffee during that year was sold in non-recyclable paper cups. It is estimated that around four billion paper cups were used that year alone. In fact, in 2009, the CEO of Starbuck's suggested that the company should develop cups that could be recycled by 2012. However, the goal was not achieved by the organization (Ofek & Norris, 2013). As a result, the company set another goal, which was to create 100% recyclable cups by 2015. Additionally, the company encouraged and continues to encourage its customers to use recyclable cups. To achieve this, Starbucks offers discounts to customers who bring their own cups. Many people in America consume coffee, so the industry was largely unaffected by the global economic recession that affected much of the world between the years 2007 and 2009. In fact, this industry had been predicted to have growth potential the next 10 years (Ofek & Norris, 2013). This is due to the recorded trends in coffee consumption and the opportunities offered by emerging markets. However, despite the growth, the only remaining problem for managers and industry leaders is the issue of non-recyclable coffee cups. The fact that coffee cups could not be recycled meant that more people would consume coffee due to the industry. ..... middle of paper ......mers. In the case at hand, it is recommended that the management of coffee companies strive to produce reusable travel cups that will largely solve the environmental problem and meet the needs of consumers. Companies should educate consumers about the benefits of using reusable travel cups versus non-recyclable cups. These benefits include cost efficiency and long-term savings. While consumers may pay a high price to purchase a travel mug, it is a one-time cost and consumers should realize that the price they pay is actually a money-saving investment, given the high durability of these cups and their reusability functions. This will reduce the billions of cups that are thrown away every month, thus reducing environmental pollution. Mugs should be produced in different designs and with different materials to capture all types of customer preferences.