BERKELEY, CA – Upcycled Foods, Inc. is the leading innovation and ingredient platform for food manufacturers and foodservice operators to activate the upcycled category. Through a combination of in-house innovation, strategic partnerships, and supply chain agreements, the company is thrilled to formally introduce five new commercial ingredient solutions to the industry. Designed to be formulated into foods and beverages to add flavor, improve texture and naturally fortify nutrition, each ingredient offers an easy solution to drive upcycled food innovation.
“We are launching a series of new ingredients to offer more choices and drive product innovation at scale,“ says Dan Kurzrock, Co-founder & CEO of Upcycled Foods, Inc. “Our expanded ingredient portfolio combined with the category expertise of our Upcycled Food Lab is here to catalyze the industry.”
The new upcycled ingredient solutions enable food makers to tell a compelling sustainability story to their customers at a time when consumers are increasingly asking for it. 62% of consumers are willing to pay more for a product that prevents food waste.1 According to ReFED, upcycling is the number one food waste solution.
Further, most of the new ingredient solutions are made with ReGrained SuperGrain+®, an Upcycled Certified™ ingredient, making a food maker’s new products eligible for certification, which will strengthen their story and competitive difference. Certification has been shown to increase consumer purchase intent by 54%, and food companies need to apply for it through the Upcycled Food Association (an independent non-profit trade association).2 The new ingredients include:
SuperGrain+® Sourdough System
Development Partner: Puratos
The power of sourdough elevates the flavor and performance of upcycled grains in both industrial and artisanal applications. From breads to buns to pizza crusts and more, SuperGrain+® Sourdough System brings clean, elevated nutrition, superb flavor, and real sustainability across the baked goods category.
Upcycled Protein Crisp
Development Partner: Kerry
This extruded crisp is ideal for nutrition and snack bar innovations. Each serving of these plant-based puffed cereal pieces boasts 40% protein, 16% fiber and 30% upcycled materials. From bars to bites to clusters and beyond, explore what this platform can do for you.
SuperGrain+® Multigrain Flakes
Development Partner: California Cereal Products
These upcycled grain flakes go above and beyond conventional commodity cereals by bringing superior texture, flavor, and appearance. Flakes contain 30% ReGrained SuperGrain+® and no added sugar. Plus, they deliver up to 3x the fiber of a conventional multigrain flake and an authentic sustainability story.
Upcycled Arabica Coffee Leaf
A unique premium ingredient made from handpicked leaves of the arabica coffee plant, featuring light diffused caffeine, antioxidants, and polyphenols. Product is available wholesale as a loose-leaf tea or liquid extract. Perfect for beverage applications like kombucha, craft beer and non-alcoholic refreshers or as an alternative to matcha in baked goods. This upcycled food ingredient also helps create year-round jobs in the coffee offseason by generating a new source of stable income for smallhold farmers in Nicaragua.
Upcycled Cacao Fruit Syrup
This flavorful syrup is produced from the incredible pulp of the cacao fruit from Ecuador that is discarded after its seeds are extracted to make chocolate. Cacao fruit contains theobromine, a powerful antioxidant and a natural stimulant similar to caffeine but without the potential side-effects. This product has a wide range of applications from sour ales to sauces to marinades and more.
For more information and product specifications for all products, or to discuss potential R&D collaborations, please visit UpcycledFoods.com and click on Partner Up!
1 INNOVA Market Insights, 2021
2 Mattson Proprietary Research: “Upcycling: The Opportunity” April, 2021
About Upcycled Foods, Inc.
Upcycled Foods, Inc. powers the B2B upcycled food economy with product development expertise, cutting-edge technology, and a growing portfolio of ingredient solutions. With its innovation hub – the Upcycled Food Lab – the company leads the way for food makers as the go-to development partner. Upcycled products close the loop on some of the food system’s most overlooked and undervalued supply chains while delivering on taste, nutrition, and functionality. The company launched with ReGrained SuperGrain+®, which catalyzed the growth of the upcycled food industry. Upcycled Foods Inc. is a proudly certified Public Benefit Corporation and 1% For The Planet member, and cofounder of the Upcycled Food Association.
