Better for All Cups
*all images, content and logos are property of Better for All https://betterforall.co
"We brought Ludington Media on board to help us launch a new product from an unknown startup into a fragmented and ever-changing market. Ludington helped us craft a media kit, messaging and outreach strategy, provided coaching, writing support and media relationship management, and most importantly for a startup, had the flexibility to pivot and pivot again as needed. During their tenure with Better for All, Ludington helped us become a known solution with positive association in our target market, including earning several product awards."
Raegan K. · Leadership Council / Member of the Board of Advisors, Better for All · 5/5 on G2
Turning a Startup Cup Into a Category Conversation
Better for All launched with a genuinely innovative product — 100% home compostable PHA cups — and a founding team with serious credentials. What they needed was a media presence to match. Over 14 months, we built one from scratch, placing them in Fortune, landing a national TV segment in 7 markets, and helping secure partnerships with some of the biggest venues in American sports.
A category-defining product with no media footprint
Better for All is the company behind the first TUV-certified home compostable PHA cup — an alternative to the Solo cup made from pure biobased material that composts in your backyard, not just an industrial facility. The founding team brought serious credibility: Bob Meers is the former CEO of both Lululemon and Reebok. But credibility and coverage are different things. The brand was operating in a noisy, fragmented sustainability market and had yet to build the media relationships or narrative infrastructure needed to be heard.
Pre-Engagement Baseline (before January 2024)
Better for All had a handful of early trade mentions and a limited local profile. The brand had no consistent national media presence, no thought leadership platform for Bob or Raegan, no awards positioning, and no structured outreach to the events and sustainability press most relevant to their target buyers. The product story was compelling. The visibility was not.
Our Approach
Thought Leadership
We built Bob Meers as a go-to voice on sustainable manufacturing and Gen Z consumer behavior, landing him a Fortune byline and placements in InnoLead, C-Suite Quarterly, and trade press.
Product & Trade Coverage
Pitched the PHA cup story to the outlets that matter to buyers: events, sustainability, foodservice, beverage, and venue management press. Coordinated around key news moments — Tortuga, USC, and the OVG GOAL partnership.
Podcasts & TV
Secured Raegan on six sustainability and packaging podcasts, and landed two nationally syndicated Lifestyle Today TV segments across 7 major markets — giving the brand visual, demo-friendly coverage.
Coverage that opened doors
For a startup entering the live events and venue space, credibility with buyers matters as much as product quality. The media presence we built created real commercial momentum.
Venue & Partnership Development
The OVG GOAL network partnership — covered by Waste Advantage Magazine and mentioned in Sports Business Journal's Morning Buzz — introduced Better for All to 40+ major U.S. venues including Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field, and the Climate Pledge Arena. As Raegan noted in VenuesNow: "It makes us more available and also introduces us to people who would otherwise not know that we existed."
Category Recognition & Real-World Results
The Beverage Digest Best Technology Innovation win — selected from 170+ entries including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Keurig Dr Pepper — positioned Better for All as a credible innovation, not just a startup. At Tortuga 2024, the cups contributed to an industry-leading 80% waste diversion rate. At USC's zero-waste basketball game, 63% of waste was diverted from landfill. The Fortune placement syndicated to Yahoo!, Newsbreak, and AOL, extending the brand's reach well beyond sustainability media.
The placements that shaped the narrative
The most impactful earned media of the engagement — each a direct result of proactive pitching and media relationship work.
All confirmed earned placements
| Outlet | Article / Placement | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| FortuneMay 15, 2024 | "Ex-Lululemon CEO: Gen Zers want sustainably made and compostable products..."Bob Meers byline. Syndicated to Yahoo!, Newsbreak, AOL. Tier 1 | National |
| Food Navigator USA2024 | "The proof is in the compostable cup: Better for All's strategy for composting over recycling"Also syndicated: Beverage Daily, Bakery & Snacks. Food/Bev Trade | F&B industry |
| InnoLeadJanuary 2025 | "Making the Business Case for Compostable Bioplastics"Bob Meers byline. R&D / innovation decision-makers. Tier 1 | Innovation leaders |
| The Manual2025 | "The push for sustainability: Why compostable coffee cups are gaining popularity"Consumer | 712K UVM |
| VenuesNowNov 21, 2024 | "Striving for Better Reuse"Raegan quoted on OVG GOAL partnership. Venue Industry | Venue operators |
| C-Suite QuarterlyAugust 2024 | "C-Suite Executives Tackle the Plastics Problem at Summer Festivals..." | C-suite, investors |
| BizBashDec 18, 2024 | "Tackling Trash: How Colleges Are Reducing Game Day Event Waste"USC & Better for All as case study. Events Industry | Event planners |
| Waste 3602024 | "Better for All Zeros in on PHA-made Party Cups While Planning for Future Products"Sustainability Trade | Waste management |
| Waste Advantage Mag.Nov 2024 | "Better for All Partners With Oak View Group's GOAL Network..." | Sustainability sector |
| Sports Venue Technology2024 | "USC Football and Better for All Partner for a Zero Waste Game" | Venue technology |
| ESG News2024 | "Coca-Cola and Better for All Drive Sustainability at USC Zero-Waste Basketball Match"Also published on ESG News LinkedIn. | ESG & impact |
| SoCal Tech2024 | "Better For All Deploys Compostable Cups At USC Men's Basketball Games" | Southern CA tech |
| Beverage IndustryJuly 17, 2024 | "Better for All launches Brand Ambassador Program, eCommerce store"Includes direct link to ecommerce store. | Beverage industry |
| Craft Brewing BusinessFeb 2024 | "Ditch Your Plastic Cups for Better for All"Bev Trade | Craft beverage |
| Bioplastics NewsFeb 14, 2024 | "Better for All Brings PHBH Cups on the Market" | Materials industry |
| Events Industry News2024 | "Solution-focused climate activism? Green festivals bring the change"Raegan byline on festival plastic waste. | Event professionals |
| Getting Ecological2024 | "Tackling the Plastic Waste Crisis at Large Venues and Events" | Climate tech |
| CauseArtist2024 | "Sustainable Cups: The Benefits of Better for All's Biobased Solutions" | Impact founders |
| Trend HunterJuly 17, 2024 | "Better for All Seeks to Promote More Eco-Friendly Practices"Includes link to ecommerce store. | Innovation/consumer |
| Mom Knows BestAugust 2024 | "8 Eco-Friendly Kitchen Product Swaps For A Healthy Home" | Consumer/lifestyle |
| ConsumerQueenHoliday 2024 | Holiday Entertaining Gift GuideSyndicated to MSN. | Consumer / MSN |
| Pasadena Now2024 | "Pasadena Company Creates Drinking Cups That Are Reusable, Renewable, and Home Compostable" | Regional |
| American Recycler2024 | "Trends In Today's Recycled Plastic Products"Raegan as industry expert source. | Recycling industry |
| Wireless Wednesday Live2024 | "'Better for All' is perfect for your fall or holiday event" | Sports/consumer |
| Whole Foods Magazine2024 | "Your Guide to Expo West Success!"Better for All featured as an Expo West standout. | Natural products |
| Triple PunditApril 4, 2025 | "Can These Bioplastic Cups Reduce Plastic Waste in Event Spaces?"Bob Meers interview secured during engagement; coverage published post-engagement. Sustainability Media | Impact business |
| PaltrocastDec 2023 | December 2023 "Paltrobox" Discoveries & Holiday Gift Ideas | Consumer/gift guides |
| Show | Episode | Reach |
|---|---|---|
| Lifestyle TodayApr 6, 2024 & Apr 19–20, 2024 | Expo West Roundup & Earth Day Essentials — both featuring Better for AllNationally syndicated. 7 markets: NY, Philly, Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, Seattle, Tampa. TV | 7 major TV markets |
| The Sustainable Packaging Show2024 | "Sustainable Packaging for Live Events (w/ Raegan Kelly of Better For All)"Podcast | Packaging professionals |
| How to Protect the OceanJuly 2024 | "Making Events Better for All: The Journey to Compostable Cups"Podcast | Ocean conservation community |
| Ashurst Game ChangersJune 2024 | "Overflowing with ideas to put an end to plastic packaging"ESG Matters series. Episode published on Ashurst LinkedIn — Raegan tagged. Podcast | ESG / legal / business |
| Climate BreakEarly 2024 | "Reducing Plastic Pollution with Bioplastics, with Raegan Kelly"Podcast | Climate audience |
| Foodservice for ThoughtJanuary 2025 | "Sustainability & SO much more: Learning with Founding Member of Better for All Raegan Kelly: Part 1"Podcast | Foodservice operators |
| We Are Not DoomedNovember 2024 | "From Red Party Cups to Green Innovations"Podcast | Climate optimism audience |
| Leverage & BeverageMarch 2024 | "Episode 30 – Raegan Kelly: Better for All"Podcast | Beverage industry |
Beverage Digest Awards 2024
Best Technology Innovation — selected from 170+ global entries including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Keurig Dr Pepper
December 2024
TRSustainability 60 Awards
Selected among top 60 sustainability-driven companies — includes full-page write-up, featured to 200,000+ monthly visitors
2024 · Submitted and won by Ludington Media
Food & Beverage Magazine
2023 Editor's Top Product Pick of the Year & "Trending in Best Plant Product Category" (2024)
2023–2024
Wonder: Tech & Innovation Festival
Raegan Kelly selected as speaker — earned speaking opportunity secured by Ludington Media
2024 · Speaking slot secured