Cult brand Tupperware reinvents itself for a longer shelf life

SINGAPORE – For decades, Tupperware arrived not on the shelves of malls, but in the living rooms of homes through direct selling by a network of consultants.

But about two years ago, the cult kitchen brand founded by American businessman Earl Tupper in 1942, and which provided flexible work for women in a post-World War II world, filed for bankruptcy.

Tupperware Brands Corporation transitioned from a public entity to a privately held company following a court-approved sale in October 2024 to avoid total liquidation.

The Tupperware brand and its related operating assets are now owned by Party Products, a group of Tupperware’s lenders including New York-based investment firms Stonehill Capital Management and Alden Global Capital. It acquired Tupperware’s global rights, brand and operations after the founding company became insolvent.

The new entity will initially focus on offering Tupperware products in certain core markets, including Singapore.

Tupperware’s full range is now available at major department stores, including Metro, Tangs, Takashimaya, OG and Isetan. Expect to also see the complete line-up on Tupperware’s official online stores on Lazada and Shopee, as well as its local distributor Fackelmann Singapore’s webstore, from February.

And in the later part of 2026, there will be roll-outs at major supermarkets across the island.

In Singapore, Party Products’ research shows that customers value the ease of buying directly from stores or online. In the US, the model is omnichannel, allowing for direct selling, online and retail.

Since the 1950s, Tupperware parties were not just about selling homeware, but also about building social capital, where women could gather outside the confines of the domestic sphere.

I recall vividly my sister, Ms Sarojaini Nair – the eldest in our family of eight children – handing out local tea-time treats such as curry puffs and samosas to relatives and neighbours during the Tupperware parties she hosted in the late 1960s.

Her guests were invited to browse glossy catalogues of the American plastic food storage brand at our three-room flat in Prince Charles Crescent, off Alexandra Road, as well as in the homes of other Tupperware party hosts. 

Party hosts had to undergo special training to demonstrate the “burpable lid”, also known as the burp seal, a hallmark of Tupperware’s design. Its main function was to create a partial vacuum which locks air out and keeps freshness in.

The assortment of spill-proof tumblers, covered serving bowls and airtight canisters in sleek designs and hues were an instant hit. Guests made orders which my sister later delivered by hand, with a promise of more parties and treats when stocks were replenished.

Plastics revolution

By the 1990s and early 2000s, the brand’s hallmark stacks still signalled thrift and order in many Singaporean and overseas kitchens, even as hypermarkets and thrift shops began offering cheaper, no-name containers.

Starting from the late 1990s, cheaper forms of industrial plastics in foodware began to raise concerns.

Mounting evidence about chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) and some phthalates became the focus of mainstream discussions and government regulation.

BPA is a harmful chemical used as an industrial hardener in cheap plastic products. Prolonged exposure to it can cause a range of health problems, including cancer.

Phthalates are a group of synthetic chemicals used to make plastics softer and more flexible. They are colourless, often oily liquids found in many consumer products such as food packaging.

The status of plastic itself began to change in recent years.

Where earlier generations prized durability and shatterproof convenience, younger consumers schooled in climate change began to equate plastics with landfills, and to picture oceans choked with waste and microplastics.

Glass jars, stainless-steel lunch boxes and beeswax wraps gained a halo of virtue, while plastic – however robust – started to look dated in a new moral economy of materiality.

Also, changes in people’s shopping habits weighed heavily on the direct sales model. The classic party plan model depended on stay-home hosts, neighbourly networks and a few hours of attention focused on a consultant’s sales pitch and demonstrations.

As dual-income households became the norm in the 2000s and socialising migrated to e-commerce, malls and hipster cafes, fewer people had the time or inclination to sit through a sales party in someone’s home.

Younger shoppers, used to the dopamine hit of clicking “add to cart”, saw little reason to wait for a group order to be consolidated, processed and delivered by hand.

Design-savvy global labels such as Pyrex and LocknLock started introducing modular glass systems and sleek bento-style lunch boxes that were imbued with minimalist Instagram-worthy aesthetics.

Recyclable, eco-conscious stance

Responding to these seismic shifts, the new Tupperware collections have been redesigned to adapt to the way people live today.

The products are free of BPA and phthalates. Some of the materials the brand now taps include polypropylene, a durable and safe plastic widely used in food storage containers; and low-density polyethylene, used for solid containers and deemed safe for food storage.

The household name now offers a new range that is said to be specially treated to be safe for modern consumers, through the use of food-grade resins that comply with global safety standards, such as the US Food and Drug Administration’s criteria for consumer products.

The materials are tested for “non-migration”– meaning they are durable, chemically inert, moisture-resistant and engineered in a way that prevents the leaching of harmful chemicals, dyes or additives into food and drinks.

Although the brand has changed hands, its legacy continues as Party Products aims to deliver innovative designs that consumers trust, while supporting Tupperware’s community of sellers and expanding retail partnerships.

Besides the classic designs of stackable plastic containers with one-press airtight lids, there are also new designs in pastels, a Freezer Mate range featuring flexible, crack-resistant material and a CrystalWave collection, with steam-venting valves for safe, splatter-free microwave heating.

A highlight is the Tupperware Voila Glass collection. Launched in the US in late 2025, it is the brand’s first foray into glass containers in its nearly 80-year history. The collection is expected to be in department stores here later in 2026.

The move into glass was a strategic response to consumer demand for plastic alternatives and offers features – such as borosilicate glass – which are said to be safe for the oven, microwave, freezer and fridge, paired with lids that have steam vents to reduce splatter and promote even heating.

The range is designed for cooking, baking, serving, storing and reheating in one dish, which also helps reduce dish clutter.

A set of four nestable glass containers is priced at US$65 (S$83) on tupperware.com, which is currently available only in the US.

A core part of Tupperware’s sustainability story is that well-made containers, bottles and cups can be used for many years, reducing the use of cheap plastic boxes that crack, stain or warp and are quickly thrown away.

From home parties to retail stores

The current range in Singapore stores is priced from $12 for a 550ml Modular Mates Oval Food Container to $149 for a set of 10 Modular Mates Oval Dry Food Container of various sizes.

A spokesperson for Takashimaya says Tupperware adds value by offering a trusted, functional household brand that appeals to a wide customer base. “With renewed colours and improved designs, Tupperware delivers thoughtful innovation that meets shoppers’ demand for smart, practical lifestyle solutions.”

Fackelmann Singapore’s commercial manager Wendy Tan says that although Tupperware is back in a big way, it is not the same as before.

“It’s being sold on a bigger scale globally and it’s also better. This is because we have combined Tupperware’s 78-year legacy of engineering excellence with Fackelmann’s global retail expertise,” adds Ms Tan.

The family-owned German multinational founded in 1919 manufactures and distributes a range of household products, specialising in kitchen gadgets, bakeware and bathroom furnishings.

“By moving into Singapore’s premier department stores, we are making the world’s most trusted sustainable storage solutions more accessible than ever, ensuring that the ‘New Tupperware’ collections fit seamlessly into the Singaporean homemaker’s fast-paced, eco-conscious lifestyle.”

Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, it was reported that Stonehill Capital Management and Alden Global Capital are hedge funds. This is incorrect as both are investment firms.