
Innovations in Upcycling
An Interview with Dan Kurzrock, Founder & CEO, Upcycled Foods, Inc.
The Sustainable Foods Summit, held in San Francicso in January, focused on sustainability schemes, regenerative agriculture, and ecological and packaging impacts:
- What is the future of third party sustainability schemes?
- What can be done to raise adoption rates of regenerative agriculture?
- How are operators measuring and reducing their ecological impacts?
- How are new technologies creating sustainable ingredients?
- What green packaging innovations are occurring?
Leading sustainable expert Dan Kurzrock is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Upcycled Foods Inc., an innovation platform of upcycled food for commercial food makers. The company specializes in using patented technology to create novel ingredients from previously overlooked and undervalued supply chains. As a thought leader on the upcycling food movement, Kurzrock is often a featured speaker at industry conferences, and he gave us an update at the show.
WholeFoods Magazine (WF): What role does Upcycled Foods play in the B2B food category?
Kurzrock: Upcycled Foods, Inc. (UP, Inc.) powers the B2B upcycled food economy with a growing portfolio of ingredient products, innovation expertise, and cutting-edge technology. Our ingredient products include the pioneering ReGrained SuperGrain+, coffee leaf tea, cacao syrup, wine raisins, and more. Through our Upcycled Foods Lab, we partner with industry companies of all sizes to close the loop on undervalued supply chains, creating products with exceptional taste, nutrition, and functionality that meet market and consumer demand. Our team of interdisciplinary experts to help customers to launch new products, future-proof supply chains, and increase profits by transforming waste streams.
WF: You launched the company based on your love of beer. How did that play into starting the company?
Kurzrock: When I began to brew beer at the University of California Los Angeles in 2009 as an undergrad, my eyes were opened to how much food I was leaving behind with each batch. It takes an average of about one pound of grain to make a six-pack of beer and the process only takes the sugars from the grain, leaving a lot behind. After discovering how tasty and nutritious the post-brewed grains were, I began to incorporate them into loaves of bread, and then sell them to cover my homebrewing expenses. As a sustainability nerd, I had heard the term upcycling used to describe projects that used the waste materials from one industry to create a new use for another industry. That’s when I saw the potential for upcycled food and my own brewer’s spent grain (BSG) was where it started. ReGrained (our original company and product name) was born.
WF: What food products benefit best from upcycled food ingredients?
Kurzrock: The beauty of upcycled ingredients is that they’re incredibly versatile and can add value across a wide range of product categories in both retail and foodservice environments. We like to think of them as a foundational enabler of food and beverage innovations that are at the intersection of flavor, health, nutrition and sustainability. Historically, we’ve seen great success in products like baked goods, snacks and beverages and applications where consumers care about both functionality and sustainability. Upcycled ingredients like ReGrained SuperGrain+ not only enhance the nutritional profile with added fiber and protein but also tell a compelling story of reducing waste. Ultimately, upcycled ingredients fit best in hero products where brands are looking to differentiate through innovation and sustainability, aligning with today’s consumer demands for transparency, nutrition, and environmental responsibility.
WF: How large is the upcycled food products industry?
Kurzrock: The global upcycled food products market is expanding at 6.2% CAGR, projected to reach $97 billion by 2031 (Source: Allied Market Research). The global food ingredients market is expanding at 5.8% CAGR, projected to reach $475.4 billion by 2031 (Source: Allied Market Research). Furthermore, 76% of the world’s top 250 food and beverage companies have publicly committed to food waste reduction targets. (Source: Champions 12.3, On Food Loss and Wast 2023 Progress Report).
WF: Do you feel the industry will continue to see strong growth?
Kurzrock: Yes, absolutely. The growth trajectory for the upcycled food industry is incredibly strong. Consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable, clean-label products, and upcycled ingredients are the perfect solution. We're seeing a shift where upcycling will become an enabler across industries, replacing virgin ingredients with upcycled alternatives. This not only creates value for businesses but also drives positive environmental and social impact. We're already seeing upcycled ingredients enriching everyday staples like bread, where we can add nutrition and sustainability through upcycled grains. And we're just getting started. The market is already responding. Upcycled foods are projected to make up one-fifth of the global food ingredient market by 2031. More importantly, consumer demand is surging, with 61% of U.S. consumers wanting brands to do more to reduce waste, and 43% believing sustainable foods are healthier. At UP, Inc., we’re helping companies meet these growing demands, turning food waste into opportunity, driving innovation, and advancing sustainability goals. It’s a win-win for profit, people, and the planet. (Sources: Allied Market Research, 2021; Prepared Foods, February 2023; The Hartman Group, 2023; Capgemini Research Institute, 2022.)
WF: What are the top upcycled certified product categories?
Kurzrock: Topline data we received from the Upcycled Foods Association (UFA):
- Dollar sales of Upcycled Certified Snack Products are up +443% over the last two years. (SPINS, 2024)
- Overall Upcycled Certified products are up +55%, from $42M to $65M (with total Food & Beverage up 1.4% YoY). (SPINS, 2024)
- 61% average annual growth of global product launches with mention of “upcycled” or “rescued” between 2018-2019 to 2022-2023. (Source: Innova Market Insights, “Food Waste Trends: Pushing Packaging Innovation. 2023”)
- For additional category-specific data contact Bo Spiller (bo@upcycledfood.org), operations manager, at the UFA.
WF: What consumer upcycled products are currently using your ingredients?
Kurzrock: UP, Inc. ingredients are used in a range of foods across a wide range of categories recognized for their application versatility as well as delicious taste, nutrient-density and authentic sustainability story. Some of our launches the past two years include: Act Bar Upcycled Snack Bars, Atoria’s Mini Upcycled Muligrain Naan, DeIori’s Upcycled Pizza Dough Ball, Fee Brothers Upcycled Mole Bitters, Misfits Market Odds & Ends Bread, Kroger Simply Truth Upcycled Breads.