Red Solo Cup Inventor Robert Hulseman Dies At Age 84

NORTHFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Former Solo Cup Co. President Robert Hulseman, who invented the now party-essential Red Solo Cup, has died. He was 84.

His son, Paul Hulseman, says his father died Dec. 21 at his home in Northfield, Illinois, of complications after a series of strokes.

The elder Hulseman invented the Red Solo Cup in the 1970s, but his son says his father never fully understood how massively popular it became. He says the cup was invented for families, not beer keggers.

Hulseman also invented the Traveler coffee cup lid during his nearly 60 years with the foodservice packaging company started in 1936 in suburban Chicago by his father, Leo.

Solo Cup made disposable food and drink containers from paper, plastic and recycled materials. Dart Container Corp. bought the company in 2012.

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