Renewal Mill, Upcycled Food Association’s Caroline Cotto named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list

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Renewal Mill, Upcycled Food Association’s Caroline Cotto named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list

2 Dec 2021

Liz Goodwin

Liz Goodwin is a Texas-born journalist and photographer. Although a Southerner at heart, she fell in love with the Midwest at the University of Missouri where she earned her bachelor's of journalism. When she’s not writing or behind a camera, she loves to cook, find new restaurants, and spend time outside. Her favorite baked goods include croissants and crackers, especially when topped with fig jam and brie.

NEW YORK — Caroline Cotto, co-founder and CEO of upcycled flour company Renewal Mill and board president of the Upcycled Food Association, has been named to the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

The publication unveiled its new list yesterday, honoring 600 North American disrupters across 20 different categories who are transforming their respective industries. Cotto was nominated by her younger sister and her co-founder Claire Schlemme and was recognized as a gamechanger in the food and drink world.

Cotto said that the recognition was a huge honor for herself and her team as well as for the upcycled food movement. As far as trailblazing in the food world is concerned, upcycled chips, cookies, flour and beyond certainly take the cake.

"When we were hand-grinding flour and hand-stamping bags and boxes, it was hard to imagine that our brand would have name recognition in a list like this one from Forbes.”

“This recognition is validation of the upcycled food movement that Claire, myself, and our team have been building for the better part of the last decade,” she said. “This award helps bring upcycled food and food waste reduction into mainstream media and consumer awareness, a goal that we’ve had since the company was founded back in 2016. When we were hand-grinding flour and hand-stamping bags and boxes, it was hard to imagine that our brand would have name recognition in a list like this one from Forbes.”

Cotto looks forward to getting to know her 30 Under 30 peers and joining forces with other innovators in the food space. When it comes to the message she gets from looking at her fellow nominees and how they are shaping the future of food, one thing is clear: they are unsatisfied with the status quo.

“It’s no longer sufficient to just look at the bottom line, but the majority of nominees have a mission-drive, triple bottom line approach to their business,” Cotto said. “From vertical saltwater farming to equitable farming and sustainable fishing, this list is full of people who are working on fueling people and the planet in ways that nourish the environment, emphasize quality and are laser focused on their ‘why.’”

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