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Stanley (drinkware company)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the ice hockey trophy, see Stanley Cup.
Not to be confused with Stanley Black & Decker or Stanley Electric.

Stanley
Product typeDrinkware
OwnerHAVI
Produced byPacific Market International (PMI)
CountryUnited States
IntroducedJanuary 1, 1913; 111 years ago (1913-01-01)
Previous owners
Websitewww.stanley1913.com

Stanley is a brand of food and beverage containers named after William Stanley Jr. who invented the first all-steel insulated vacuum bottle in 1913. The Stanley brand has since been produced by several companies and is currently owned by Pacific Market International (PMI), a subsidiary of the HAVI Group. Stanley is best known for its steel thermoses, and since 2020, for its Stanley Quencher line of tumblers, also known as Stanley cups.

History

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A collection of vintage Stanley bottles at the New Britain Industrial Museum

Origins and the Stanley thermos (1913–1965)

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On September 2, 1913, William Stanley Jr. patented the all-steel vacuum flask.[1] The idea came about as a result of his work with transformers, during which he discovered that a welding process he was using could be used to insulate a vacuum bottle with steel instead of glass.[2]

Stanley's new bottle was announced in The Berkshire Courier on July 8, 1915. Soon after, he established the Stanley Insulating Company in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and began mass production of the bottle under the Ferrostat, and later Supervac, labels. He acquired financial backing for the company from his friend William H. Walker, who served as its president, while Stanley served as vice president. Walker would eventually take control of the entire company.[2]

In 1916, William Stanley died at the age of 57.[3] Walker died soon after in 1917.[4]

In 1921, the company was acquired by Landers, Frary & Clark of New Britain, Connecticut who manufactured Stanley's insulated bottles under its Universal trade name. The company continued to manufacture out of Great Barrington until 1933 when Landers, Frary & Clark consolidated operations with its New Britain factory.[2][5]

The Stanley thermos became known for its durability. It was the only all-steel thermos in production until the mid-1960s.[6] The United States army reportedly tested Stanley thermoses in World War I by dropping them out of airplanes and running them over with heavy equipment.[4] Stanley thermoses were carried by bomber pilots during World War II.[7][8][9]

Acquisitions and shift overseas (1965–2020)

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In 1965, the Stanley line was acquired by Aladdin Industries of Nashville, Tennessee.[10] In 1988, Aladdin outsourced the plastic molding assembly of Stanley thermoses to Brazil.[11]

In 2002, the Seattle-based Pacific Market International (PMI) acquired the Stanley and Aladdin retail and branding rights.[12] They expanded the brand to include other non-insulated products including barware and flasks.[13] PMI began manufacturing Stanley products in China.[4]

Stanley introduced the Adventure Quencher tumbler in 2016. The Quencher's early sales were not substantial, and the company stopped restocking and marketing it in 2019. After working with the Buy Guide, a women-run blog based in Utah, to sell 5,000 Quenchers, the company resumed production in an increasingly broad array of colors.[14] The product was the primary driver of Stanley's annual sales increasing from $70 million USD in 2019 to an estimated $750 million USD in 2023.[15] Since successful influencer marketing campaigns for the Quencher, Stanley has shifted its marketing to sell primarily to women.[16]

Rebranding and the "Stanley cup" (2020-present)

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In 2020, the company hired Terence Reilly, formerly of Crocs, as its president; sales of Quenchers rose 275% between 2020 and 2021.[17][16] In November 2024, Stanley announced its multi-year partnership with footballer, Lionel Messi that marks the first-ever collaboration between the company and a professional athlete. The partnership will see Stanley offering a range of new products namely The Quencher ProTour Flip Straw Tumbler, High Precision Flow Mate System, Classic Mate Mug and Mate Bombilla.[18][19]

Products

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Quencher

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REI display for Stanley Quencher H2.0 Tumbler — Limit 2 per customer

Released in 2016,[20] the Stanley Quencher (sometimes Stanley cup) became popular as a result of influencer marketing campaigns on social media, particularly TikTok.[21][22] The sales started picking up in 2019.[15]

In 2020, Terence Reilly joined Stanley as its new president. Reilly engaged with Ashlee LeSueur, co-founder of Buy Guide, who had discovered the Quencher in 2017 at a Bed, Bath, and Beyond store. Impressed by the product, she became a supporter, gifting it to friends and recommending it to her followers, which resulted in increased interest.[20] As a result the company decided to continue production and released the quencher in more colors.[20][23] In 2020, the Quencher became the brand's top-selling product, a position it has retained ever since.[24][20] It is Stanley's most popular item among female customers. It has increased Stanley's annual sales from US$70 million in 2019 to $750 million in 2023.[20][23]

The Stanley Quencher is a vacuum insulated tumbler-style cup offered in 14, 20, 30, and 40 fluid ounce sizes. Features include a removable straw, vacuum insulation to hold the contents at a desired temperature for a longer period of time, and is offered in multiple color options, some limited by seasonal offerings. Many limited edition quenchers have been released to date including some in partnership with Starbucks that have quickly sold out.[25][26]

Country Gold Stanley

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On November 14, 2023, Stanley released a limited-edition gold version of the Quencher in partnership with the country music star Lainey Wilson.[27][28]

Stanley cup survives car fire

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On November 16, 2023, a TikToker by the name of Danielle Lettering posted a video of her burnt out Kia Sorento while her Stanley tumbler survived intact with ice still in it.[29][30] This caught the attention of Stanley's President Terence Reilly, who responded in a video offering to replace her Stanley tumbler and her car.[31] Subsequent to the viral video, sales skyrocketed in the end of 2023.[20]

Starbucks x Stanley Quencher

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In December 2023, Stanley introduced a Valentine's Day-themed quencher, the Starbucks × Stanley Quencher, exclusively at Target stores in the United States. Some customers camped out at stores, while others were reportedly "nearly coming to blows or otherwise overrunning the store."[16][32]

In May 2024, the Sunset Gradient Starbucks x Stanley Quencher was introduced, which features bright metal gold and pink colors.[33][34]

Floral Stanley quenchers for Mother's Day 2024

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For the 2024 Mother's Day, Stanley released tumbles in pink with a floral design.[35][36]

IceFlow Flip Straw Collection

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The Stanley IceFlow Flip Straw Collection is a collection of vacuum insulated drinkware that utilizes a flip-straw design that is integrated into the cap.[37] They come in 16, 24, 32, 50 and 96 ounce sizes.[38]

Other products

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In addition to the Quencher tumblers, Stanley also offers a handful of different vacuum insulated and non-vacuum insulated products including flasks, pint glasses, vacuum bottles, and other types of beverage containers. Stanley also offers outdoor coolers, lunchboxes, and camp cookware sets.

Criticism

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In 2022 and 2023, some TikTokers reported that the Stanley Quencher contains lead after using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) testing, and that the tumbler may pose a risk for lead poisoning.[39] The company later released a statement confirming that, “Yes, Stanley uses lead in its manufacturing process for its cups."[40] The company also released a statement claiming that, "No lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer" while also adding "nor the contents of the product", contradicting their prior claim that there was lead in the products.[41][42] In February 2024, Stanley's parent company faced two lawsuits accusing it of intentionally misleading customers about the tumbler's lead-related risk.[43]

Although reusable water bottles have been praised as a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles, the trend of collecting and showing off collections of Quencher tumblers has raised concerns about whether they are better for the environment when they are used infrequently or collected.[44][45]

The New York Times's Wirecutter blog reviewed the Adventure Quencher tumbler in 2022[46] and the Quencher H2.0 FlowState tumbler in 2024. The reviewer praised the cups' insulation and appearances, but criticized their lids for being prone to leaking. Wirecutter ultimately recommended similarly sized cups from other companies as less spill-prone alternatives.[47]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ US patent 1071817A, Stanley, William, "Heat-insulated receptacle", published 1912-08-05, issued 1913-09-02 
  2. ^ a b c Drew, Bernard A; Chapman, Gerard; Sass, Samuel (Fall 1985). "William Stanley Lighted a Town and Powered an Industry" (PDF). Berkshire History. 6 (1).
  3. ^ "William Stanley, 1858 - 1916". Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Archived from the original on July 31, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2008.
  4. ^ a b c Britton-Mehlisch, Meg (January 13, 2024). "Stanley cups have taken the internet by storm. The Berkshires can lay claim to the cup that started it all". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  5. ^ Onken, W. H., Jr. (March 12, 1921). "Stanley Insulating Company Changes Hands". Electrical World. 77 (11): 628.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Sexton, Richard (1987). American style: classic product design from Airstream to Zippo. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-87701-392-1.
  7. ^ Quick, Suzy (February 18, 2024). "Historical Treasure: Stanleys stand the test of time". Terre Haute Tribune-Star. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  8. ^ Freeman, Andrew (May 21, 2012). "The Most Influential Gear of All Time". Outside Online. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  9. ^ Goldstein, Li (May 26, 2023). "How Stanley, the Thermos for Tough Guys, Became the TikTok Obsession of Millennial Women". Bon Appétit. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  10. ^ "Aladdin Industries Plans to Acquire Stanley Line of J.B. Williams Unit". The Wall Street Journal. May 25, 1965. p. 32.
  11. ^ Smith, Michal (April 1988). Aladdin's magic: the company's magic is no secret : communicating, sharing information are keys to success. Labor-management cooperation brief. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor-Management Relations and Cooperative Programs.
  12. ^ Keighley, Michael J. (February 2002). "Pacific Market International Acquires Aladdin & Stanley". The Gormet Retailer. 23 (2): 15.
  13. ^ "Who Invented Stanley Cups? Meet NIHF Inductee William Stanley Jr. | National Inventors Hall of Fame®". www.invent.org. July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  14. ^ Issawi, Danya (May 17, 2022). "The Sisterhood of the Stanley Tumbler". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Vega, Nicolas; Shamo, Lauren (December 23, 2023). "How a 40-ounce cup turned Stanley into a $750 million a year business". CNBC. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  16. ^ a b c Deb, Sopan (January 5, 2024). "Why People Are Camping Out at Target for the Valentine's Stanley Tumbler". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  17. ^ Geraldo, Renata (January 12, 2024). "Seattle-based Stanley rides the wave of water bottle, tumbler addiction". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 22, 2024. The legacy brand that sold its iconic green thermos to men for decades has recently pivoted to targeting women and younger generations through influencer marketing and product scarcity.
  18. ^ "Lionel Messi Scores Multi-Year Partnership With Stanley". Kicks On SI. November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  19. ^ DeLuca, Alex. "Stanley Partners With Leo Messi for Mate Cups Collection". Miami New Times. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c d e f Vega, Nicolas; Shamo, Lauren (December 23, 2023). "How a 40-ounce cup turned Stanley into a $750 million a year business". CNBC. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  21. ^ Warburton, Jena (May 11, 2024). "Stanley cups invent genius way to stay viral". TheStreet. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  22. ^ Walrath-Holdridge, Mary. "Stanley cups have people flooding stores and buying out shops. What made them so popular?". USA TODAY. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  23. ^ a b Demopoulos, Alaina (January 12, 2024). "Stanley cups took the world by storm. Then the backlash began". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  24. ^ Issawi, Danya (May 17, 2022). "The Sisterhood of the Stanley Tumbler". The New York Times. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  25. ^ "Starbucks' Pink Stanley Cups Won't Be Restocked After Causing Chaos at Target and Reselling for $200". ca.news.yahoo.com. January 5, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  26. ^ "The new pink Starbucks x Stanley cup is selling out fast, here's how to get yours". USA Today. January 9, 2014.
  27. ^ "There's Only One Way to Get Your Hands on Lainey Wilson's New "Country Gold" Stanley Tumbler". Country Living. November 13, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  28. ^ Muhammad, Latifah (November 14, 2023). "Lainey Wilson's 'Country Gold' Stanley Cup Is Here: Where to Buy the Limited-Edition Tumbler Before It Sells Out". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  29. ^ "Woman's Stanley tumbler survived a car fire - Now the company is giving her free cups and a new ride". ABC7 Los Angeles. November 19, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  30. ^ "A Stanley Tumbler Kept Its Ice Cool During A Car Fire, Now The Company Wants To Replace The Car". Jalopnik. November 20, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  31. ^ Encinas, Amaris. "After fire destroys woman's car, but not her Stanley tumbler, company steps up". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  32. ^ Vega, Nicolas; Shamo, Lauren (December 23, 2023). "How a 40-ounce cup turned Stanley into a $750 million a year business". CNBC. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  33. ^ "Starbucks' New Summer Stanley Cup Is Even More Gorgeous Than Your Viral Fave". Elite Daily. May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  34. ^ "Starbucks Just Released A New Stanley Quencher & Fans Are Already Obsessed". Delish. May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  35. ^ Gordon, Meredith; Center, Rachel (May 1, 2024). "Last chance to get the new Stanley Mother's Day tumblers before they sell out - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  36. ^ "Get Stanley's new Mother's Day Quencher before it sells out, plus more custom water bottles to gift Mom". CBSSports.com. April 27, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  37. ^ "Stanley's popular IceFlow Tumbler gets a spring update with debut of four new colors". 9to5toys.com. March 11, 2024.
  38. ^ Kaylee Remington, cleveland com (May 9, 2024). "Stanley drops IceFlow: Where to buy flip straw lid bottles". cleveland. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  39. ^ Tamara (January 7, 2024). "Stanley confirms that "Stanley Cup" insulated Stainless Steel tumblers are made with "Some Lead"". Lead Safe Mama. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  40. ^ "Yes, Stanley cups contain 'some lead', company says: Here's what to know". FOX40. January 27, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  41. ^ "Do Stanley cups have lead in them? VERIFY". wcnc.com. January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  42. ^ "Viral TikToks Are Claiming Stanley Products Contain Dangerous Levels Of Lead". Delish. January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  43. ^ "Seattle-based Stanley faces more lawsuits over lead in products". The Seattle Times. February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  44. ^ Klein, Elana (January 11, 2024). "The Big Problem With the Giant Stanley Cup". Wired. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  45. ^ Tabuchi, Hiroko (February 9, 2024). "Is There a Climate Cost to Collecting Climate-Friendly Stuff, Like Mugs?". The New York Times. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  46. ^ Sanci, Elissa (October 5, 2022). "We Tested the TikTok-Famous Stanley Adventure Quencher. It's Good, but So Are Our Picks". Wirecutter. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  47. ^ Sanci, Elissa (January 22, 2024). "Sorry, but Stanley Tumblers Leak Too Much. These 4 Dupes Are Superior". Wirecutter. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
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