BERKELEY, CA — Upcycled Foods, Inc., a leading innovation platform for food manufacturers and foodservice operators to activate the upcycled category, has introduced five new commercial ingredient solutions for food manufacturing and foodservice operations. Designed to be formulated into foods and beverages to add flavor, improve texture and naturally fortify nutrition, each ingredient offers a solution to drive upcycled food innovation.
The new upcycled ingredients enable food producers to add a compelling sustainability story to their product offerings. Customers today are increasingly asking for more sustainability in their food, with 62% of consumers saying they’re willing to pay more for a product that prevents food waste, according to Innova Market Insights.
In meeting that demand, ReFED has reported that upcycling is the number one food waste solution.
“We are launching a series of new ingredients to offer more choices and drive product innovation at scale,“ said Dan Kurzrock, co-founder and CEO of Upcycled Foods. “Our expanded ingredient portfolio, combined with the category expertise of our Upcycled Food Lab, is here to catalyze the industry.”
According to “Upcycling: The Opportunity,” a proprietary report from Mattson, certification has been shown to increase consumer purchase intent by 54%. Food companies can apply for Upcycled Certification through the Upcycled Food Association, an independent non-profit trade association.
The new ingredients include:
SuperGrain+ Sourdough System was developed in partnership with Puratos, tapping into the power of sourdough to elevates flavor and performance of upcycled grains. From breads to buns to pizza crusts and more, SuperGrain+ Sourdough System brings clean, elevated nutrition, superb flavor and sustainability across the baked goods category.
Upcycled Protein Crisp is an extruded crisp developed in partnership with Kerry Ideal for nutrition bars and snack bars, each serving of these plant-based puffed cereal pieces boasts 40% protein, 16% fiber and 30% upcycled materials.
SuperGrain+ Multigrain Flakes were developed in partnership with California Cereal Products. These upcycled grain flakes bring superior texture, flavor, and appearance with 30% ReGrained SuperGrain+ and no added sugar. They also deliver up to three times the fiber of a conventional multigrain flake and an authentic sustainability story.
Upcycled Arabica Coffee Leaf is made from handpicked leaves of the arabica coffee plant, featuring light diffused caffeine, antioxidants and polyphenols. Available wholesale as a loose-leaf tea or liquid extract, it can be used 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 is produced from the discarded pulp of the cacao fruit from Ecuador. Cacao fruit contains theobromine, a powerful antioxidant and a natural stimulant similar to caffeine but without the potential side-effects.
Most of the upcycled ingredient solutions in the portfolio are made with ReGrained SuperGrain+, an Upcycled Certified ingredient. Products made with these ingredients make them eligible for certification, which will strengthen their story and competitive difference.
For more information on products and the benefits of upcycling, visit www.UpcycledFoods.com.
