What Pantone sells is something much more abstract, a promise of uniformity so that the color Peach Fuzz looks the same, whether it's printed out on a billboard or a ceramic mug.
Say, a poor, rural kid who might be plenty smart, but will test low if questions involve urban, upper-class concepts like taking taxis and drinking tea out of china cups or the rules of tennis.
And I think that's what these coffee lid engineers are trying to do, is to make it so that the experience of taking it on the road is as good as sitting in a restaurant, drinking from a ceramic cup.