The upcycling food movement, which aims to reduce food waste and the impacts of consumption on the environment, has inspired the development of sustainable food and beverages
Line of soups made with vegetables that would otherwise be discarded, food by-products transformed into new ingredients, surplus grains in breweries that become snacks and mineral water extracted from the production of concentrated juice. These are just a few examples of how the food industry has innovated to transform what would go to waste into tasty and nutritious products.
These efforts are part of a movement that is gaining more and more strength: upcycling food, which aims to reduce food waste and the impacts of consumption on the environment.
Whole Foods Market, a multinational supermarket chain in the United States that sells natural and organic products, identified upcycling food as one of the top ten food trends of 2021.
To get an idea of the size of food waste, according to a study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the problem represents global losses of almost 1 trillion dollars each year, including the resources used in cultivation, processing, packaging, transporting and marketing these foods. In addition to the economic losses, there are 70 billion tons of greenhouse gases generated by this waste.
FAO also estimates that 6% of the world’s food losses occur in Latin America and the Caribbean. Each year, the region wastes around 15% of available food. Furthermore, Latin America and the Caribbean are responsible for 16% of the global carbon footprint generated by this problem. With the food wasted at the time of sale, in supermarkets, street markets and warehouses, it would be enough to feed more than 60% of the population in this region that suffers from hunger.
All of this has a direct impact on the sustainability of food systems. Therefore, food recycling can contribute in favor of the environment and is also a great opportunity for the food and beverage industry to foster sustainability, in addition to offering innovation to consumers.
Upcycling food: A promising move
According to a survey by Mintel, the international market intelligence agency, 76% of consumers said they were willing to try foods made with recycled ingredients if such products had a lower environmental impact.
In addition to the concern with environmental issues and the growing engagement on the part of the consumer indicating the consolidation of this trend, Future Market Insights, a research and business intelligence agency, found that the market for reused ingredients was already worth more than US$ 46 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow 5% per year over the next decade. An example that illustrates this growth is RIND, a maker of functional and sustainable fruit snacks based in New York, which uses discarded fruit peels. The company had a 500% increase in revenue in 2020.
Recently, the Scandinavian vegan food startup Mycorena also received a $9 million investment and became one of the global micro-protein manufacturers. Promyc, Mycorena’s main micro-protein ingredient, is developed by recycling food waste in industrial processing. It is already being tested as a protein ingredient in several vegan products sold in Scandinavia.
But, after all, what is upcycled food
The Upcycled Foods Association, of the United States, defines it as “food that consists of reducing food waste, creating nutritious and high quality food products from the nutrients that escape through the cracks in the food system”.
According to the association, recycled foods are:
- Made from by-products or ingredients that would otherwise be wasted;
- Value-added products;
- Safe for human consumption but can also be used in pet food and cosmetics.
In addition, upcycled food must be part of an auditable supply chain that guarantees its provenance and ensures that it reduces pressure on the environment.
Discover some products and ingredients made from food recycling, launched by companies that have already embraced this movement:
This new market movement, even recent, shows great growth potential in the coming years, especially with consumers connected with care for the planet and people. Is there already any initiative focused on Upcycled Foods in your company? Tell us about it!