- Challenge -

July 5th, 2018, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

City’s mayor Crivella signed a law banning plastic straws in the foodservice market (out home  places for eating and drinking, like Restaurants, Hotels, Bars and Delicatessens), after this  recent environmental sustainability thinking. The fine stablished was around USD 1,500.

A lot of drinks uses straws, but one is special. The national drink is Caipirinha. A short-glass  drink, filled with ice cubes and big pieces of fruits.

But it is very unpleasant to drink without straw, as the ice and fruits easily gets in touch with  the drinker’s mouth. The bearded persons (men) suffers more. Bad experience for the user.

How to provide a solution for this client pain?

- Selection & Application -

The tools I select were Mind Mapping, Journey Mapping and Value Chain Analysis. I started  myself, as a bearded drinker, to asks for Capirinhas and straws over some bars.

First, I found 3 patterns:

a) The bars that are still using straws, even if it is illegal.

b) The bars that changed the recipes (strained the fruit and ice) and glasses sizes, to  don’t use straw anyway.

c) The bars that found a substitute: Paper Straw.

Then, analyzing further, talking with some restaurant owners and buyers, I discovered the  reason, “strategy” and problems for each pattern.

a) The paper straw costs double the price of the plastic straw. Don't using a straw can  provide a lower income amount, which's impacts more than the fine. But they get fined  anyway.

b) The paper straw costs double the price of plastic straw. They take a chance don't  using the straws. But people don’t like caipirinhas without fruits In most of cases.

c) The paper straw is legal, but it is expensive. One problem here: they get soggy and  clogged quickly, providing a bad experience to the drinker.

After some Brainstorm and concept development, I created two hypotheses.

To my first hypothesis, all the restaurant's owners and buyers said the same thing: It is hard  to manage the operation with washable straws, like aluminum or glass.

To my second hypothesis, all the restaurant's owners and buyers said the same thing: It is  hard to manage the operation with compostable straws, like plant starch. They don’ have  composting facilities and they don’t want to have. It is expensive and slow.

So, mapping all the pains from users and restaurants, what could I do?

- Insight & Approach -

The answer seems to be obviously.

The national drink will be the first ordered in bars for a long time and the culture is something  very hard to change: people wants to drink original Caipirinha with straws.

So I have to look in for a different material. Something Cheap, something that doesn’t get  soggy and clogged. And something that can be fully biodegradable.

From this, I prototyped a line with 3 straws. Grass Straw, Wheat Straw, and Rice mass  Straw. I will start to test them in some bars to find with one has the best acceptance and  are the problems with each of them.

I am in the Learning Launch now, for next time, when new plastic dischargeable like forks  be banned, I know better where to find a path.


- Challenge - July 5th , 2018 , Rio de Janeiro , Brazil . City ’s mayor Crivella signed a law banning plastic straws in the foodservice market ( out home places for eating and drinking , like Restaurants , Hotels , Bars and Delicatessens ) , after this recent environmental sustainability thinking . The fine stablished was around USD 1,500 . A lot of drinks uses straws , but one is special . The national drink is Caipirinha . A short - glass drink , filled with ice cubes and big pieces of fruits . But it is very unpleasant to drink without straw , as the ice and fruits easily gets in touch with the drinker ’s mouth . The bearded persons ( men ) suffers more . Bad experience for the user . How to provide a solution for this client pain ? - Selection & Application - The tools I select were Mind Mapping , Journey Mapping and Value Chain Analysis . I started myself , as a bearded drinker , to asks for Capirinhas and straws over some bars . First , I found 3 patterns : a ) The bars that are still using straws , even if it is illegal . b ) The bars that changed the recipes ( strained the fruit and ice ) and glasses sizes , to do n’t use straw anyway . c ) The bars that found a substitute : Paper Straw . Then , analyzing further , talking with some restaurant owners and buyers , I discovered the reason , “ strategy ” and problems for each pattern . a ) The paper straw costs double the price of the plastic straw . Do n't using a straw can provide a lower income amount , which 's impacts more than the fine . But they get fined anyway . b ) The paper straw costs double the price of plastic straw . They take a chance do n't using the straws . But people do n’t like caipirinhas without fruits In most of cases . c ) The paper straw is legal , but it is expensive . One problem here : they get soggy and clogged quickly , providing a bad experience to the drinker . After some Brainstorm and concept development , I created two hypotheses . To my first hypothesis , all the restaurant 's owners and buyers said the same thing : It is hard to manage the operation with washable straws , like aluminum or glass . To my second hypothesis , all the restaurant 's owners and buyers said the same thing : It is hard to manage the operation with compostable straws , like plant starch . They don ’ have composting facilities and they do n’t want to have . It is expensive and slow . So , mapping all the pains from users and restaurants , what could I do ? - Insight & Approach - The answer seems to be obviously . The national drink will be the first ordered in bars for a long time and the culture is something very hard to change : people wants to drink original Caipirinha with straws . So I have to look in for a different material . Something Cheap , something that does n’t get soggy and clogged . And something that can be fully biodegradable . From this , I prototyped a line with 3 straws . Grass Straw , Wheat Straw , and Rice mass Straw . I will start to test them in some bars to find with one has the best acceptance and are the problems with each of them . I am in the Learning Launch now , for next time , when new plastic dischargeable like forks be banned , I know better where to find a path .