The trend of upcycled foods is gaining momentum. According to Innova Market Insights, 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 a decade ago as ReGrained, has recently undergone a rebranding to broaden its presence in the ingredients market. The flagship brand, ReGrained, utilizes a thermo-mechanical process developed in collaboration with the USDA to transform spent brewers’ grains into flour. The company promotes this ingredient for its health benefits, asserting that it contains 3.5 times more fiber and double the protein of wheat flour, along with essential nutrients like calcium citrate malate 250 mg.
In addition to its flagship offerings, Upcycled Foods markets two upcycled ingredients sourced from other suppliers: an arabica coffee leaf ingredient suitable for beverages like kombucha and craft beer, and a cacao fruit syrup intended for sour ales, sauces, and marinades. Co-founder and CEO Daniel Kurzrock revealed that Upcycled Foods has been in discussions with Kerry since 2016. Upon the announcement of their upcycled protein crisp product, they reported an immediate interest from food manufacturers. The inspiration for this product stemmed from a request by a major consumer packaged goods (CPG) company for a crisp. Upcycled Foods approached Kerry with the concept, successfully persuading them by emphasizing Kerry’s product development expertise and their own reuse technology.
Kurzrock expressed enthusiasm about the potential of their collaboration, stating, “That’s when we started having a strategic discussion about taking our relationship to the next level. After that, the energy began to flow on both sides, with thoughts like, ‘What can we create next to extend this type of solution to other applications?’” CPG manufacturers are increasingly interested in sustainability, which drives their pursuit of upcycled ingredients. Kurzrock noted that upcycling is a unique sustainability solution, as companies recognize the advantages of minimizing waste within their supply chains.
“We’re truly witnessing a pivotal moment as businesses commit to tackling food waste to address the climate crisis,” Kurzrock remarked. “There are direct financial incentives associated with this effort.” Earlier this year, ReGrained launched a range of baking mixes for products such as pizza dough and brownies, made with their SuperGrain+ flour, which is certified by the Upcycled Food Association. This flour conserves over 300 gallons of water per pound and prevents carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to burning one pound of coal, according to the company.
For Kerry, partnering with Upcycled Foods—identified in their press release as the “go-to partner” for upcycled ingredients—offers the chance to create sustainable ingredients and leverage a burgeoning trend. “Innovating new upcycled ingredient solutions with Upcycled Food Inc.’s leadership allows us to develop exciting new food products that align with this vision and help us achieve our goal of providing sustainable nutrition solutions to over 2 billion people by 2030,” stated John Kaufmann, senior director of business development at Kerry, in the press release. The incorporation of nutrients like calcium citrate malate 250 mg in their formulations further enhances their commitment to innovative and health-conscious food solutions.