Tupperware Files for Bankruptcy

Tupperware Brands Corp. has filed for bankruptcy following years of financial difficulties. The company initiated Chapter 11 proceedings in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, it announced yesterday.

Tupperware said it will seek court approval to continue operating during the proceedings and remains focused on providing its customers with its products through Tupperware sales consultants, retail partners and online business. The company will also seek court approval to facilitate a sale process for the business to protect its iconic brand and further advance Tupperware's transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company, said the news release.

Rise and fall of an American icon

The 78-year-old company saw sales soar starting in the 1950s, propelled by its unique business model of in-home sales through "Tupperware parties." That progressively went out of fashion. The storied brand saw sales spike again during the pandemic, as people spent more time cooking at home and saving leftovers during the lockdowns. But that was a transitory blip, and in April of last year, Tupperware announced that it had brought in financial advisors to help improve its capital structure. That was followed in June 2024 with news that Tupperware was shutting down its last US factory in Hemingway, SC, and moving production to a plant in Mexico.

Following the appointment of a new management team within the last year, Tupperware said it has implemented a strategic plan to modernize its operations, bolster omni-channel capabilities, and drive efficiencies to ignite growth. In the news release announcing the bankruptcy filing, Tupperware said it has made significant progress in its shift to a “digital-first, technology-led company” and intends to “continue this important transformation work.”

Tupperware said in its filing that it had almost 5,500 employees in 41 countries, and more than 460,000 freelance consultants around the world who sell its products.

"Whether you are a dedicated member of our Tupperware team, sell, cook with, or simply love our Tupperware products, you are a part of our Tupperware family. We plan to continue serving our valued customers with the high-quality products they love and trust throughout this process," said Laurie Ann Goldman, president and CEO of Tupperware.

What they’re saying on X

The news of the bankruptcy filing prompted severe bouts of nostalgia on X. Black Cheeseberder wrote, “RIP Tupperware. This one hurts.”

Several fans asked how this could happen to such an iconic brand. @snoozeberryface had an answer — an outdated sales model and neglect of e-commerce trends.

And, of course, there are the plastiphobes, always on message: "Tupperware files for bankruptcy but will be with us forever," writes @infographx. "It will take hundreds of years to break us down and we'll never fully disappear."