Customers of Bear Market Coffee will soon be able to use a personalised keep cup to pay for beverages.
Fintech company, LoyLap, and Bear Market Coffee have launched the reusable coffee cup with contactless payment functionality.
The keep cups will initially launch in Bear Market's outlet, based in the Dublin branch of sports retailer Decathlon, with plans to further expand the initiative across the company’s branches in the coming months.
Powered by LoyLap’s contactless payment infrastructure, customers of Bear Market Coffee can use their personalised keep cup to pay for their beverages, in a seamless transaction. The chip is embedded within the silicon sleeve of the reusable cup, transforming the keep cup into a functional payment device.
A core component of the initiative is LoyLap’s integrated loyalty system, which operates on Bear Market Coffee’s custom branded app - enabling the coffee business to directly reward repeat customers - a valuable asset for any small business.
The streamlined payment experience means that customers will be incentivised to transition using the keep cups, potentially saving disposable, single-use coffee cups from going to landfill each day.
The pairing of reusable coffee cups and embedded contactless payment chips is the first solution of its kind to be deployed in Ireland.
Conor O'Toole, Co-Founder and CTO of LoyLap, said its partnership with Bear Market Coffee has demonstrated the benefits of adopting an integrated payment system for small businesses.
"The past eighteen months have accelerated the digitisation of our economy, and we are rapidly evolving into a cashless society. The contactless keep cup will appeal to consumers seeking a transaction experience designed for the modern age, while also helping to encourage environmentally friendly behaviour."
Ruth Deasy, Co-Founder and COO of Bear Market Coffee said: "Sustainability is a core pillar of our brand, and as a business, we are constantly searching for innovations which encourage the widespread adoption of environmentally friendly practices."
Damien English, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail said throughout the pandemic, we witnessed a shift in consumer purchasing behaviour as contactless payments provided a safe and convenient alternative to exchanging cash in-store. "This trend has now gained traction as customers are experiencing the benefits of this technology and the convenience that it offers.
"In responding to these changes, Irish businesses have been at the forefront of introducing new innovations and the contactless keep cups launched today by LoyLap and Bear Market Coffee serve as an example of this. In line with Government policy on helping SMEs transition to the green and digital economy, this technology showcases the very best of Irish enterprise and I am greatly encouraged by this."
