Custom Printed Juice Cups

Picking Cup Sizes for Your Menu

Start from your menu, not from the cup catalogue. If you sell a regular and a large, two sizes are enough, and stocking more simply ties up storage space. Measure the volume each recipe actually produces, including ice, and leave a little headroom so the lid seats without squeezing drink out of the straw hole.

The rim diameter matters as much as the volume because it decides which lids fit. Most of our clear cups share a rim across several heights, so one lid stock can cover two or three sizes. Check this before you order, as mismatched lids are one of the most common frustrations at a busy counter.

Storage is the last thing to think about. Cups nest tightly, but a pallet of large cups still takes up room in a small kitchen. Ordering the right quantity for your turnover, rather than the biggest run possible, keeps the back room usable and lets you refresh the design sooner if your menu or branding changes. Small portions for tastings fit neatly in 3 oz tasting cups.

• Small kids' and taster cups around 250 ml
• Regular smoothie cups around 350–400 ml
• Large cups around 500 ml for full meal replacements
• Extra large cups for iced drinks with plenty of ice

Lids, Straws and Thick Blends

Flat lids with a cross slot suit thin juices and iced drinks, and they stack well for takeaway carriers. Dome lids leave space above the rim for whipped toppings, fruit garnishes or a generous pour of a thick acai blend. A dome lid with a wider hole works better for thick smoothies drunk through a wide straw.

If you deliver through apps, consider sealing film on the cup rim. A sealed cup survives being tipped in a courier bag, and the printed seal is another space for your branding.

Straw choice affects the lid too. Paper straws are thicker than the old plastic ones, so a slot cut for a thin straw may tear when a wide paper straw is pushed through. Tell us the straw diameter you use and we will match the lid opening, which saves a lot of split lids and sticky counters during a busy lunchtime.

Sip-through lids without a straw are another option for thinner juices and iced coffees. They suit customers on the move and reduce the number of separate items your staff have to hand over. For the thickest shakes, custom milkshake cups for thick blends are worth a look.

Designing Artwork for Printed Juice Cups

A cup is a cone, not a flat rectangle, so artwork is laid out on a curved template that widens towards the rim. Straight lines can appear to bend if they are placed carelessly, and text that runs too close to the base can disappear into the fold. We supply the template and check placement on the free proof.

On clear cups, think about what the drink will look like behind your logo. A white logo looks crisp against a dark berry smoothie but disappears against a pale banana blend. Placing the logo in a solid colour band, or using a white underprint, keeps it legible whatever is in the cup.

Keep the design simple enough to recognise at a glance. A logo, a short line such as your web address or social handle, and possibly a fill line for portion control are usually enough. Busy patterns can make a clear cup look cluttered once it is full. Our guide comparing print options explains how colours behave on different cups.

Who Orders Branded Juice Cups

Independent juice and smoothie bars are the main buyers, followed by gyms and leisure centres with their own shake counters. Cafés that add a cold drinks menu in the warmer months order a smaller run of clear cups to sit alongside their coffee cups. Event caterers and festival stalls order printed cups so their stand is recognisable across a busy site, and health food shops with a juice counter use them to link the counter back to their main brand.

Catering teams at offices and colleges also order branded cups for staff cafés, where the cup becomes part of the in-house identity rather than a supplier's generic print.

Some brands also order a small run of printed cups for pop-ups and sampling days before committing to a permanent counter. A cup with the brand name on it makes a taster feel like a real product rather than a free giveaway, and people remember the name when they see it later in a shop. Event caterers serving drinks in rounds often add printed cup carriers to the order.

Ordering, Proofs and Delivery

Tell us the cup type, sizes, lid style, number of colours and quantity. We email a custom quote within one working day, with low minimums quoted per job. Food-contact grade materials are available on request, and we will confirm which cups are suited to cold or hot use before you order.

Your free design proof shows the artwork on the cup template. After approval, production takes 4–7 working days, and the cups travel in sealed sleeves by free tracked UK mainland delivery in 2–3 working days. If any arrive misprinted or crushed, report it within 10 days for a reprint or refund. Other cups and cones can join the same order from our cups and ice cream packaging range.