Why we were there

The short answer is CrewFood. They run the catering, we provide the support. From sustainable cups, cutlery, and straws to essential event supplies, we help them run their operations seamlessly and sustainably. When CrewFood brought us in for the World Rowing Cup’s catering, we launched our new co-branded product line. 

CrewFood trusted us because we’ve already proven ourselves alongside them at F1 and KLM Open. At an international stage like the World Rowing Cup, there’s zero room for error, nothing can fail. 

‍

In the athlete lounge, all competitors were able to enjoy our products alongside their Qarc yoghurt and Topsportmaaltijden meals from Topsport Amsterdam. Each of us brings the piece we do best. 

A tray with Hello Straw products, QARC yogurt, and a paper container filled with food

‍

What we brought to the course

Working with CrewFood, our co-branded range covered:

200,000
6oz co-branded cups
15,000
4oz co-branded cups
25,000
Service sets, fork, knife, spoon


The service set pouches were laid out in the athlete lounge, while the cups and the same service sets went through CrewFood's staff and volunteer catering across the day. Same range, two very different settings, which is a useful test of how it holds up.

Why this partnership works

Our partner and the founder of CrewFood, Bram Drost, has said this better than we can, so we will let him say it.

"Sustainability is a big thing for CrewFood. We used wood disposables before. We were not fans. Hello Straw is exactly what we were looking for. They helped us leave that behind." - Bram Drost, Founder, CrewFood

That is a big thing for us to hear. It is also the standard we try to hold ourselves to on every job.

The moment that stayed with us

The CrewFood staff came back to us with the same story: athletes from many different countries told them they liked the cutlery, and asked whether it was truly paper.

It felt solid in the hand, and even when used on heavy chicken and meat dishes, it did not bend, soften, or give out the way people have come to expect from paper alternatives. We have been making paper cutlery for a long time, so seeing it hold up so well under such a protein-heavy meal made it one of those days where you feel the work has truly landed. 

"Hello Straw is the strongest partner for all disposables. Price, quality, the strongest company." - Bram Drost, Founder, CrewFood
814 athletes from 64 nations. 38,500 spectators along the Bosbaan across the week.

What we are taking into the rest of the season

  • Co-branding on the cups made the range feel like part of the event, not an add-on. We would like to do more of this with the partners we serve alongside.

  • Volumes on the smaller 4oz cup were lower than the 6oz, which lines up with how coffee and water flow through a race day.

  • Feedback from staff who work with the products all day is as useful as feedback from guests. They notice heat, they notice grip, and they will tell you honestly which parts of the set they reach for first.
A huge thank you to CrewFood for bringing us onto the course for the day, and to all the staff who made this event possible, sustainability is so much more fun with you. And to every athlete who picked up a fork and asked us a question, thank you! 

‍

Multiple catering trays laid out on a table with Hello Straw paper cups, paper cutlery sets, paper straws and yogurt.

‍Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hello Straw paper cutlery really strong enough for a full athlete meal?

Yes. The cutlery is built to cut through steak, scoop heavy sides and hold up all the way through a meal. At the World Rowing Cup, athletes from across the world stopped mid-meal to check whether it was truly paper, and then carried on eating with it. That is the working answer.

What did Hello Straw supply for the World Rowing Cup in Amsterdam?

Through CrewFood, we supplied 200,000 co-branded 6oz paper cups, 15,000 co-branded 4oz paper cups, 25,000 CrewFood x Hello Straw service sets with fork, knife and spoon, and paper rowing straws across both the athlete lounge and the staff lounge.

Can a paper cup really handle hot coffee and stronger drinks at an event?

Yes. The Hello Straw A-Cup takes hot drinks up to 85 degrees, cold drinks, soups, and spirits up to 45 percent ABV. One cup covers everything a bar or catering counter serves through the day, which makes life easier for the crew running the service.

Why co-brand event disposables instead of using standard cups?

A co-branded cup carries both the Hello Straw name and the event or partner name on the same design. It signals that sustainable products were built into the plan from the start, and it turns a disposable into part of the event identity. Athletes and guests notice, and photographers do too.

How do I start a conversation with Hello Straw about an event?

We work with caterers, event organisers and brands. Send us a note through the Hello Straw website with the event, the rough volumes and the timeline, and we will come back with what a co-branded range could look like for you.