Straws-Berry is bringing a French-made alternative to the hospitality industry, combining plant-based materials, durability and local production in a bid to rethink the humble drinking straw.
For something as small as a drinking straw, the environmental debate surrounding single-use products has become surprisingly significant. Since single-use plastic straws were banned in England in 2020, cafés, restaurants, hotels and event venues have increasingly turned to alternatives such as paper and plant-based products.
French company Straws-Berry believes there is another way forward, developing straws designed specifically for hospitality while placing local manufacturing and sustainability at the heart of its approach.
The company, founded by Carl Cillard, has spent more than two years developing its product, with the ambition of creating a durable alternative to imported straws while bringing more everyday manufacturing back to France.
A French-Made Alternative to Imported Straws
According to Straws-Berry, many of the alternatives currently used by hospitality businesses are imported, with long-distance transportation adding to their environmental impact.
The company set out to address this by developing a straw that is manufactured entirely in France, from sourcing through to production.
Straws-Berry says its products are made using plant-based materials and are designed around the practical requirements of cafés, restaurants, hotels and events. The company currently supplies thousands of hospitality venues and has ambitions to expand further across Europe, including the UK.
Designed to Stay Strong in Hot and Cold Drinks
One of the biggest complaints about some paper and other alternative straws is their tendency to become soft or break down during use.
Straws-Berry says its formulation has been engineered to avoid that problem. The company’s current range is designed to withstand temperatures from -20°C to +90°C, meaning the straws can be used with everything from chilled cocktails and smoothies to hot drinks.
The company also says its straws can withstand up to 20 dishwasher cycles, while sensory testing conducted by a French laboratory found no noticeable impact on taste or odour.
The range includes different formats for different drinks, including the Small-Berry for cocktails and short drinks, the Classic-Berry for everyday use, the Large-Berry for smoothies and milkshakes, and the Bubble-Berry for bubble tea.
More Than Two Years of Research and Development
The development of Straws-Berry was driven by more than two years of research and development, with the company stating that three patents have been filed around its formulation.
The brand says its materials are sourced locally and that its manufacturing and supply chain are designed to minimise unnecessary transportation and support French industry.
Its production also follows ISO 9001 standards, with the company highlighting full traceability from sourcing through to the finished product.
Sustainability Meets Social Impact
Straws-Berry’s approach isn’t limited to materials and manufacturing.
The company also works with an ESAT, a French supported-employment organisation, as part of its packing and logistics operation. According to Straws-Berry, the partnership supports professional integration for people with disabilities, adding a social dimension to its sustainability ambitions.
This combination of local production, environmental considerations and social inclusion forms a key part of the company’s wider mission.
Straws-Berry Sets Its Sights on the UK
Having established a presence in France, Straws-Berry is now looking towards international growth, with the United Kingdom identified as a priority market.
The company plans to expand its distribution network across Europe while continuing to develop new plant-based products for the hospitality sector and increase its French manufacturing capacity.
Straws-Berry was also selected among the innovations showcased at Sirha 2025, where it presented its product to the event’s CSR committee.
With sustainability becoming an increasingly important consideration for hospitality businesses, the humble drinking straw could become another area where venues look beyond simply replacing plastic and instead consider where products are made, how long they last and what happens throughout their lifecycle.
For Straws-Berry, the goal is to demonstrate that even one of the smallest items behind a bar or restaurant counter can be redesigned with environmental, industrial and customer considerations in mind.
Find out more about Straws-Berry and its range of French-made straws via the official Straws-Berry website.
