Hercule Industrial logoHercule Industrial
Interactive 3D
1 / 3

EVF99092

Custom Paperboard Cup

  • Available in a wide range of custom configurations & material selection.
  • Order 1 sample. Or order 100K+ units. Or anything in between.
  • Affordable delivery across North America.
  • Design support, warehousing, testing, assembly available.
  • Widest machinery capability in America via 30+ specialist partner plants.
Get pricing

Best Price Guarantee

Already have a packaging quote? Let us beat it.

Send us the quote you have. We will beat it for the same specifications, quantity, and delivery requirements.

Upload a competing quote

Free quote review. No obligation.

30+specialist partner plants

We supply through the plant best suited to your price, material, production, and delivery requirements.

Why we can beat a lower quote

30+ plants give us more ways to lower the price.

Each plant has different machinery, material costs, order minimums, and freight rates. Our buying volume helps us secure better pricing. We then quote through the plant that gives you the lowest total price for your requirements.

Send us your current quote. Watch us beat it.

Attach it to the quote form or email it to us. We'll review it free and send you our price.

Upload a competing quoteinfo@herculeindustrial.com
Best Price Guarantee terms

To qualify, send a written supplier quote dated within the past 30 days and addressed to your company. It must cover the same dimensions, construction, material, print, finish, quantity, tooling, freight, delivery date, and delivery location. The guarantee does not cover taxes, expired quotes, liquidation or clearance sales, or obvious pricing errors.

Free white-glove consultations. Blazing-fast response time. Fast quotes.

Product details

Top highlights

  • Delivered fully formed and nested for rapid filling
  • Relies on poly or barrier coatings for liquid applications
  • Often matched to existing sizes for production efficiency

About this product

The EVF99092 is a classic two-piece paperboard cup, featuring a conical sidewall and a sealed circular base. It is a common choice for hot and cold beverages, ice cream, and dry snack kitting.

Unlike flat-packed cartons, these cups are delivered fully assembled and nested. Because custom sizes involve specific forming equipment, matching your fluid volume needs to existing cup sizes is often the most practical path for new programs.

Common uses

  • Hot and cold beverages
  • Ice cream and frozen desserts
  • Dry snack kitting
  • Promotional giveaways

Get a quote

Share what you know. We'll take it from there. Or email us at info@herculeindustrial.com

Best Price Guarantee

Already have a packaging quote? Let us beat it.

Send us the quote you have. We will beat it for the same specifications, quantity, and delivery requirements.

Upload a competing quote

Free quote review. No obligation.

30+specialist partner plants

We supply through the plant best suited to your price, material, production, and delivery requirements.

Why we can beat a lower quote

30+ plants give us more ways to lower the price.

Each plant has different machinery, material costs, order minimums, and freight rates. Our buying volume helps us secure better pricing. We then quote through the plant that gives you the lowest total price for your requirements.

Send us your current quote. Watch us beat it.

Attach it to the quote form or email it to us. We'll review it free and send you our price.

Upload a competing quoteinfo@herculeindustrial.com
Best Price Guarantee terms

To qualify, send a written supplier quote dated within the past 30 days and addressed to your company. It must cover the same dimensions, construction, material, print, finish, quantity, tooling, freight, delivery date, and delivery location. The guarantee does not cover taxes, expired quotes, liquidation or clearance sales, or obvious pricing errors.

Files or competing quote (optional)
Optional

More details

You can skip this whole part, or open a section and answer only what you know.

Size and quantity
Units
Materials and print
Add details for paperboard preference
Add details for print and artwork
Current box or specs
Add details for do you have a current box, spec, or target sample?

Common Applications for Paperboard Cups

Beverage and Food Service

When manufactured with poly-coated or PLA-coated board and heat-sealed seams, the cup provides liquid holdout for hot or cold drinks.

Dry Snack Kitting

For popcorn, nuts, or confectionery, the cup can be produced using standard uncoated folding boxboard. This lowers material complexity while maintaining the familiar, easy-to-hold shape.

Frozen Desserts and Ice Cream

The conical shape allows easy scooping and eating. Coated boards help keep moisture from absorbing through condensation when stored in freezers.

Promotional Samplings

Small-volume versions are useful for event giveaways and product sampling, offering a full-wrap print surface for branding.

Industry and Retail Environments

Large Retail and Events

Cups are printed flat before forming, allowing for high-quality, full-wrap graphics. Because they ship nested, they take up more warehouse space than flat cartons but eliminate assembly labor at the point of use.

Quick-Service Restaurants

The nested delivery allows rapid dispensing and filling at the counter. The rolled top rim supports a tight snap-fit with standard plastic or paper lids.

Confectionery and Snack Brands

Brands packing dry goods can use the cup shape for shelf appeal, often sealing the top with a film or placing the cup inside a larger display.

When to Consider Flat-Shipped Alternatives

Limited Storage Space or Short Runs

If warehouse space is tight or the order volume does not support dedicated cup-forming production, consider flat-folding crash-lock cartons or folding trays that can be erected on demand.

E-commerce Parcel Shipping

Cups offer very little resistance to crushing when empty or filled with soft goods. If shipped through parcel networks, they should be packed inside a rigid corrugated outer box.

Key Decisions for Cup Production

Coating and Material Choice

Liquid contents rely on barrier-coated boards (like PE or PLA) and heat-sealed or ultrasonically welded seams. Dry goods can often use standard glued boxboard, which changes the manufacturing route and material choice.

Exact Volume and Size Matching

Changing the top diameter, bottom diameter, or height involves specific forming equipment. If your volume requirement is flexible, adapting your artwork to an existing cup size can simplify the production path.

Print Method and Run Size

Cups are typically printed web-fed via flexo for large beverage programs, or sheet-fed via offset for promotional runs. The print method affects the practical order size.

Nesting Pitch and Shipping Cube

The taper angle of the sidewall determines how tightly the finished cups nest together. A steeper angle allows tighter nesting, which maximizes the number of cups per shipping sleeve and reduces freight footprint.

Volume and Dimension Adjustments

Rim Roll and Lid Fit

The top edge of the sidewall is curled outward to form a rigid drinking brim. The amount of material allocated to this roll can be adjusted to support a tight snap-fit with standard lids.

Bottom Seal Wrap

The lower edge of the sidewall wraps around the inserted base disc. This overlap is calibrated based on the board thickness and coating to support a secure seal under pressure.

Taper Angle

The angle of the conical sidewall can be adjusted to change the visual profile and the nesting density, though this involves matching forming equipment.

Packing details

Edge Skiving for Hot Liquids

For hot beverages, the inner edge of the side seam is often skived (shaved thin) and folded over. This helps keep liquid from wicking into the raw paperboard edge and weakening the cup over time.

Additional notes

Liquid holdout and edge skiving

For hot liquids, the inner edge of the side seam is often skived and folded over to help keep liquid from wicking into the raw paper edge.

Related Packaging

FAQs

Do these cups ship flat?

No. Paperboard cups are fully formed, sealed, and rim-rolled at the manufacturing facility. They are delivered nested in stacks, ready for immediate filling.

Can I use standard uncoated board for a beverage cup?

Liquid applications rely on poly-coated (PE) or biopolymer-coated (PLA) board to keep the paper from absorbing moisture. Standard uncoated board is only suitable for dry goods.

What prevents the cup from cracking at the rim?

The paperboard's grain direction runs horizontally around the cup. This allows the top edge to roll smoothly into a brim without splitting or cracking the printed surface.

Why are custom sizes difficult for small orders?

Forming a cup involves equipment matched to the cup's internal dimensions. Creating a new size means preparing new forming parts, which is usually practical only for large, repeating programs.

How is the artwork applied to the curved surface?

The board is printed while flat, usually via flexo or offset presses, before the curved sidewall blanks are die-cut. The artwork is warped (conically distorted) during the design phase so it appears straight once the cup is formed.

Are these suitable for e-commerce parcel shipping?

Cups offer very little resistance to crushing when empty or filled with soft goods. If shipped through parcel networks, they should be packed inside a rigid corrugated outer box.

How does the taper angle affect shipping?

A steeper taper allows the cups to nest more deeply into one another. This increases the number of cups that fit into a single shipping sleeve, reducing the overall freight volume.

Can I get a physical prototype of a custom size?

While a CAD table can cut a few flat curved blanks for artwork proofing, a true physical prototype cannot be formed by hand. Testing the actual seal and rim roll involves time on the production equipment.