Foopak Bio Natura Cups Help Runners Stay Hydrated and Support a Green Cause at the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon presented by ASICS

May 23, 2025

Charta Global teams up with the McCourt Foundation to replace 800,000 plastic cups

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 23, 2025) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Organizing a marathon for over 25,000 runners is no small feat. Making it sustainable is even more ambitious. But this year, as runners raced from Dodger Stadium to Century City, the Los Angeles Marathon presented by ASICS underscored its climate-conscious ethos by swapping out nearly a million plastic cups for compostable, PFAS-free alternatives — one of several green efforts that include waste diversion, clothing collection, and tap water towers. The marathon, certified Gold by the Council for Responsible Sport, is once again aimed to meet the highest standards for environmentally responsible events.

As part of continuous initiatives to nurture a greener future by creating sustainable products, APP Group (APP) is once again making an effort on a larger scale by partnering with Charta Global, APP’s exclusive sales channel for the U.S. and Latin America; Visstun, one of Charta’s core converting partners; and Foopak, APP’s innovative flagship brand. The three-way partnership resulted in a sponsorship of 800,000 fiber-based plastic-free Foopak Bio Natura cups for the fourth largest marathon in the United States, which was recently held on Sunday, March 16.

“We were pleased to partner with Charta Global for the sponsorship of the Foopak Bio Natura cups at the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon presented by ASICS,” said Paula Thompson, Director of Sales, Visstun. “Charta Global is one of our valued suppliers in the United States, supporting us in effectively reaching the sustainable consumers of today and tomorrow.”

In the United States, California has been shown to be one of the most sustainable states, even accelerating its goals for a transition to a 100% clean energy by 2035. California was also one of the first states to implement a state-wide ban on plastics, highlighting a collective effort to be more sustainable.

Additionally, The McCourt Foundation, organizers of the LA Marathon are making concrete efforts to make the annual marathon more sustainable, making an appropriate fit for Foopak Bio Natura to help runners stay hydrated without contributing to plastic waste by eliminating plastic cups at the marathon.

“We can see the global market, and especially California, shifting away from traditional plastics as consumers seek more sustainable solutions,” said Karen O’Connell, Head of Sponsorship at The McCourt Foundation. “Our 40th anniversary running of the Los Angels Marathon was logical place to start championing this change with real results.”

During the event, 410,000 Foopak Bio Natura cups were used at 23 water stations throughout the 26.2-mile marathon course. The plastic free cups will also be used at other McCourt Foundation events including the Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K in Pasadena, CA and the Santa Monica Classic 5K /10K on September 7, 2025.

All Foopak Bio Natura cups are compostable and certified plastic-free, ensuring that no plastics from drinkware at the race end up in our oceans. Additionally, these cups are PFAS-free and qualified for direct food contact, reassuring runners that they won’t be ingesting nano-plastics when they hydrate themselves.

“Visstun, one of our core converting partners, has been excellent to work with, given their unique ability to provide both large and small production runs with quick turnaround times,” said Christopher Wong, Global Sales Head for APP. “Marathons are traditionally thought of as an activity for those who are the epitome of health with strong mental resilience. APP’s goals closely align with this, as our company strives to provide products that are good for the health of the planet, through innovations such as Foopak Bio Natura.”

For more information, visit LAMarathon.com.

About The McCourt Foundation

The McCourt Foundation (TMF) empowers communities to build a healthier world through research, education, and events. TMF’s mission is to cure neurological diseases while empowering communities to build a healthier world. TMF makes a difference by donating to neurology research, hosting educational forums, and using our events such as the Los Angeles Marathon, Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K, Santa Monica Classic, Boston Waterfront 5K, and Tour de South Shore, as platforms to raise funds for over 105 nonprofit charity partners. Since its inception, TMF has donated more than $6.7 million to neurology research and generated more than $76M for our nonprofit charity partners. Established in 1992, TMF is a 501 (c)(3) with offices in Boston, MA and Los Angeles, CA. For more information, visit mccourtfoundation.org.