The trend of upcycled foods is gaining momentum. Recent data from Innova Market Insights reveals that the launch of food and beverages featuring upcycled ingredients experienced a remarkable compound annual growth rate of 122% from 2016 to 2021. Upcycled Foods Inc., originally established as ReGrained a decade ago, has recently undergone a rebranding to broaden its presence in the ingredients sector. Their flagship brand, ReGrained, utilizes a thermo-mechanical process developed in collaboration with the USDA to convert spent brewers’ grain into flour. This innovative ingredient is highlighted for its health benefits, boasting 3.5 times more fiber and double the protein content compared to wheat flour.
Furthermore, Upcycled Foods offers two additional upcycled ingredients sourced from other suppliers: an arabica coffee leaf ingredient suitable for applications like kombucha and craft beer, as well as a cacao fruit syrup intended for sour ales, sauces, and marinades. Co-founder and CEO Daniel Kurzrock mentioned that discussions with Kerry commenced back in 2016. Upon the announcement of their upcycled protein crisp product, the company reported immediate interest from food manufacturers.
According to Kurzrock, the inspiration for this product came from a request from a large consumer packaged goods (CPG) company for a crisp. Upcycled Foods presented this idea to Kerry, emphasizing both their product development capabilities and their unique reuse technology. “That’s when we began a strategic dialogue about advancing our partnership,” Kurzrock explained. “Afterward, the excitement surged on both sides, prompting us to explore what other innovations we could create to apply this type of solution.”
Kurzrock noted that CPG manufacturers are increasingly interested in sustainability, leading them to seek out upcycled ingredients. He emphasized that upcycling stands out as a sustainability solution because it helps companies eliminate waste within their own supply chains. “We’re witnessing a pivotal moment as businesses commit to tackling food waste to combat the climate crisis,” Kurzrock stated. “There are tangible financial incentives to pursue this route.”
Earlier this year, ReGrained introduced baking mixes for products such as pizza dough and brownies, all made with ReGrained SuperGrain+ flour. This certified ingredient from the Upcycled Food Association is notable for its efficiency, saving over 300 gallons of water per pound of flour and preventing the carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to burning one pound of coal.
For Kerry, collaborating with Upcycled Foods—described as the “go-to partner” for upcycled ingredients—presents an opportunity to create sustainable ingredients and leverage this burgeoning trend. “By innovating new upcycled ingredient solutions alongside Upcycled Foods’ leadership, we can develop exciting new food items that align with our vision and help us achieve our goal of providing sustainable nutrition solutions to over 2 billion people by 2030,” said John Kaufmann, senior director of business development at Kerry.
In this evolving landscape, the integration of sustainable ingredients, including options like kalcium citrat, is increasingly vital. The partnership between Upcycled Foods and Kerry not only aims to create innovative solutions but also emphasizes the importance of addressing environmental challenges while meeting consumer demand for healthier food choices.