In an era where food waste has become an undeniable crisis—costing the global economy billions and straining natural resources—Upcycled Foods, Inc. is making a difference. With an audacious vision and relentless innovation, the company proves that what was once dismissed as waste holds immense untapped potential.  

As pioneers of the upcycled food movement, Upcycled Foods, Inc., is not merely repurposing spent grains; it is architecting a circular food economy that aligns sustainability with profitability. Through groundbreaking collaborations, such as co-founding the Upcycled Food Association and partnering with industry titans, Upcycled Foods, Inc., is catalyzing systemic change, setting new standards, and inspiring a shift in how the world perceives food’s true value.  

In this conversation with Founder and CEO Daniel Kurzrock, we explore the pivotal moments, challenges, and ambitions that continue to propel the upcycled revolution forward—transforming not just ingredients but the future of food itself. 

Upcycled Foods has become a pioneer in the upcycled food movement, turning spent grains into innovative, nutritious ingredients. As early adopters, how do you think your approach has influenced the broader adoption of upcycled ingredients across the food industry? Are there specific moments or collaborations that helped solidify your leadership in this space? 

At Upcycled Foods, Inc. (dba ReGrained), we are making upcycling a mainstream solution in the food industry through collaboration across the entire value chain and even across sectors. We have been enthusiastic and passionate pioneers, but movements are a collective effort. One great representation of this approach is our cofounding role in the Upcycled Food Association & Foundation (UFA). The UFA endeavored to solidify the movement by recruiting industry stakeholders and creating the Upcycled Certified standards.  

Our company also partners with institutions like the USDA on research and collaborates on innovation projects. From startups to large companies, these collaborations have included Puratos, Kerry, Griffith Foods, and Barilla.  

With sustainability becoming a core demand from consumers, scaling up your operations sustainably must be a priority. Can you share how ReGrained balances growth while staying true to your mission of environmental and economic sustainability? What challenges have you faced, and how have you addressed them? 

Upcycling, as a practice, is the embodiment of the circular economy for food and, in many ways, is inherently sustainable.  

Our whole business model is designed to close the loop on overlooked and undervalued food assets, reducing waste and feeding more. The more we can scale the implementation of upcycling initiatives, the more we are able to advance this mission.  

Beyond our core business model, we fortify our sustainability commitment by maintaining certifications like B. Corp and 1% For The Planet, which ensure we meet high standards of social and environmental responsibility. We also conduct Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) on our ingredients, which allows us to provide detailed sustainability metrics to our customers, helping them achieve their ESG goals more effectively and efficiently. As another example, we actively engage in industry groups like the Sustainable Packaging Collaborative, with a focus on compostable packaging initiatives for CPG products. 

Your company has built partnerships to advance the upcycled food movement. Can you share an example of a partnership that has been particularly impactful for your growth or the broader industry? 

In addition to previously mentioned collaborations, one partnership model we are particularly proud of involves working in a triangle with contract manufacturers and retailers. Contract manufacturers bring the production capabilities needed to create finished products, while retailers and brands set the vision for what they want to bring to market.  

Through our Upcycled Foods Lab, we bridge the gap by accelerating the R&D process and developing commercially ready prototypes that align with both parties’ goals.  

By working directly with retailers’ innovation and category management teams, we connect their priorities with manufacturers’ capabilities. When a project is commercialized, everyone benefits—creating value, driving innovation, and advancing the upcycled food mission.  

The upcycled food industry is relatively new, and defining food safety standards is crucial to building consumer trust. How has Upcycled Foods contributed to setting industry-wide standards or obtaining certifications that ensure the safety and quality of upcycled products? 

We adhere to Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)-equivalent standards, ensuring that our ingredients meet the rigorous requirements of food manufacturers worldwide. By implementing robust sourcing and processing protocols, we provide full transparency and traceability, which are critical to building consumer trust.  

These practices, combined with our patented upcycling process and subject matter expertise, ensure ingredient stability, consistency, and safety, positioning us to deliver safe, high-quality ingredients. 

Bringing an innovative product to market often comes with regulatory hurdles, especially when working with food byproducts. What have been some of the most significant regulatory challenges you’ve faced, and how did you navigate them to keep the upcycled food mission on track? 

Materials like brewer’s spent grain, which have a well-documented history of human consumption, are eligible for GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status under U.S. regulations. We have strategically focused our commercial efforts initially on these established materials. This approach inures a foundation for potentially introducing novel upcycled ingredients that would face more regulatory hurdles in the future. 

Consumers are becoming more conscious of where their food comes from, but transparency and trust are still critical. How does your organization communicate its food safety practices to assure consumers about the quality and reliability of your products? 

In addition to interviews, webinars, and public speaking engagements, we also publish a lot of material online to educate and inform. Our philosophy is simple: while not everyone may focus on every detail of our business, different aspects resonate with different groups of consumers. As consumers ourselves, we understand the importance of building trust and ensuring transparency. 

The upcycled food market is expanding rapidly as awareness about food waste grows. Where do you see the market heading in the next five years, and what role do you envision Upcycled Foods will play in driving innovation and market growth? 

Upcycled ingredients are increasingly in demand because they offer solutions to multiple challenges faced by food and beverage industry leaders, including the need to balance environmental and social impact with financial performance. By leveraging upcycling, companies can turn waste into opportunity, driving innovation while advancing sustainability goals. 

Market data supports this growing trend. Upcycled foods are projected to make up 1/5 of the global food ingredient market by 2031, with global product launches mentioning “upcycled” or “rescued” growing at an average annual rate of 61% from 2018-2019 to 2022-2023. 

This is largely driven by consumer demand: 43% of U.S. consumers believe they are healthier when they choose sustainable foods and beverages (58% among Millennials). Food waste is a key issue for consumers—61% feel that brands and retailers should do more to reduce waste, while 57% express disappointment in companies for not taking the issue seriously enough. 

For food and beverage brands, upcycling offers a way to meet these consumer expectations while also unlocking the hidden value in manufacturing processes, driving innovation, and creating sustainable alternatives to at-risk ingredients. Our expert Upcycled Foods Lab team has developed technologies, processes, and ingredients that help industry leaders tap into this potential. We work with companies of all sizes to launch products that deliver on taste, health, and sustainability—ultimately setting the standard for what it means to lead in today’s market. 

With upcycling, we have an unprecedented opportunity to replace virgin ingredients across industries with upcycled alternatives, creating value for profit, people, and the planet. Upcycling is already transforming iconic staples like bread, which can now be fortified with added nutrition from upcycled grains, and it’s also inspiring a new generation of ‘superfoods,’ like coffee leaf tea, by tapping into the potential of what was once seen as byproducts. 

Looking ahead, I believe the future will recognize only co-products, with byproducts becoming a thing of the past. Upcycling will extend to foundational ingredients, supporting the rise of plant-based, fermented, cultivated, and fungi-based proteins. We are already seeing this as upcycled feedstocks and growth media play a role in advancing these sustainable protein sources. 

Personally, I’m excited by the synergy between regenerative agriculture and upcycling–commonly referred to as Circularity. Upstream, we can grow food in ways that benefit the soil, capture carbon, and boost nutrient density. Downstream, we’re ensuring that every part of what’s produced is valued and utilized. 

Educating consumers about the value of upcycled foods is key to shifting perceptions around food waste. What steps has Upcycled Foods taken to engage and educate consumers about the benefits of upcycled products, and how do you measure success in this area? 

When we started our journey 15 years ago, inspired by a homebrewing hobby, the term “upcycled” was unfamiliar to most. That said, we recognized the need for language that accurately conveyed the value of our work—terms like “recycling” fell short for a practice that creates higher-value products. Drawing inspiration from industries like textiles, where “upcycled” described transforming plastic waste into durable goods, we had our “aha” moment and began championing the concept of upcycled food and edible upcycling. 

Although our ultimate goal was always to build a B2B business, we initially launched consumer products to test the market and refine our messaging. Campaigns like “Eat Beer” helped capture attention and created opportunities for education. Over time, this effort evolved into broader initiatives, such as co-founding the Upcycled Food Association and contributing to the development of the Upcycled Certified standard.

Today, we continue to advocate for upcycling through public speaking and work closely with our B2B partners to craft messaging strategies that resonate with consumers, ensuring they understand the benefits and value of upcycled products. 

Upcycled Foods has a history of turning spent grains into delicious and sustainable products. As you look ahead, can you give us a sneak peek into upcoming product innovations? How do these align with consumer demand for nutritious, sustainable food options? 

We are expanding our ingredient product portfolio to meet the growing demand for innovative, sustainable ingredients that elevate a wide range of products. 

Our flagship ingredient, ReGrained SuperGrain^+®, delivers a nutrient-dense alternative to conventional flours, enhanced with naturally concentrated fiber and protein. Its delicious flavor and versatile functionality make it easy to incorporate into a wide range of products. In addition to SuperGrain^+®, we have developed value-added ingredients like the Sourdough Baker’s Blend, made in partnership with Puratos, and Upcycled Protein Crisps with Kerry.  

We are also expanding our focus beyond brewer’s grain-based products. For example, we are developing alternatives to at-risk commodities, broadening the scope of how upcycling can solve acute food industry challenges like supply chain disruptions and inflation. Concurrently, we are exploring agricultural and manufacturing side streams worldwide to discover new hero ingredients. One such innovation is Coffee Leaf Tea, which transforms a by-product of coffee farming into a premium wellness ingredient with unique health benefits while also supporting environmental and social impact. 

Geographically, we’re focused on expanding partnerships that bring our products to a global market. This involves building robust distribution channels and collaborating with international leaders in food innovation. 

Driving this growth is our Upcycled Foods Lab, a one-of-a-kind platform offering end-to-end R&D services. By unlocking the hidden value in manufacturing processes, we help our partners reduce innovation risk, accelerate product development, and achieve ESG goals more effectively. 

Together, we will build a food system that does more with less and improves the way we value resources that support life on our home planet! 

Shaping tomorrow’s food system, one upcycled ingredient at a time 

The upcycled food revolution is no longer a niche concept—it’s a powerful force reshaping the global food landscape. With a steadfast commitment to innovation and sustainability, Upcycled Foods, Inc. is pushing boundaries and challenging industry norms to unlock the hidden value in overlooked resources. Their pioneering efforts are not just about reducing waste; they are about reimagining food systems to create a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable future. As the movement gains momentum, their influence extends far beyond ingredient development—sparking meaningful dialogue, inspiring policy change, and empowering businesses to embrace upcycling as a strategic imperative.  

References:  

• Allied Market Research, 2021.  
• Prepared Foods, February 2023 
• The Hartman Group, 2023. 
• Capgemini Research Institute, 2022. 

Dan is the Founder & CEO of Upcycled Foods Inc., the leading innovation platform for upcycled food, dedicated to helping commercial food makers transform overlooked and undervalued supply chains into novel ingredients. Through its patented technology and the Upcycled Foods Lab—an end-to-end R&D partner—Dan and his team enable partners to accelerate product development, reduce innovation risks, and achieve sustainability goals. A recognized thought leader in the upcycled food movement, Dan is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and is frequently featured in the media for his expertise in sustainable food innovation. 

This story first came out in our “The Power of Upcycling” issue.