Tasty Waste: Upcycling Food

A Grand Experiment in Changing Consumer Perception

Uncovering alternative uses for food waste that would otherwise end up in a landfill are projects that feel world changing at first, but must survive the gauntlet of consumer perception in order to truly generate impact.  We can work out the financial feasibility of reprocessing food items back into valuable products, map out supply chain logistics and even turn all of that work into supportive policy (all of which the USDA aims to do), but if we haven’t considered the consumer experience at all then it has the power to undermine an entire endeavor.

The upscaled food industry, projected to nearly double in value by 2031, is currently running the gauntlet.  As someone willing to examine food waste issues for their potential opportunities, upscaled food is a good exercise in understanding the role of consumer perception in project feasibility. 

What Exactly Is In My Food?

Upscaled food seems like a no brainer in terms of value. Creating a place for it in our food systems increases food supply, generates jobs, could decrease harm to the environment and adds nutritional components to food products. We can even speculate that the innovative technologies being developed in labs today to support upcycling food processes will be solving food shortage and malnutrition issues around the world in the future.  The benefits are numerous and it would be fairly easy to save the consumer factor for a later date.

Today, consumers are asking a lot of questions. The upscaled food industry is launching food waste solutions and upscaled products to audiences who are exhausted by greenwashing tactics and overwhelmed by product labels.  Shoppers want to know what exactly is being put into their food and how it is getting there.  They want to know if the product is actually healthy and if its worth is enough to warrant premium pricing.  And they want to know that the label they paid for is actually putting a dent in food waste problems.

Even for consumers fully on board with food waste solutions, affordability, taste and availability tend to become top priorities while standing in the supermarket aisle weighing costs and benefits. We can’t assume that consumers will latch on to upscaled products even if they are aware of benefits.  How any product is received directly impacts pricing power, market development and investor interest. Is there a way to produce high quality items out of food byproducts and keep them economical?  If not, then current strategies could lose investment capital and fizzle in the eyes of consumers.

USDA Support for Upcycled Food

The USDA continues to move forward with efforts to tackle food waste issues using upcycled food as the vehicle to accomplish these goals. With a four pronged approach including recycling technology, data collection, policy and education the hope is that consumer perception will be increasingly positive for the sector. These four pillars suggest the USDA is listening to consumer feedback.

Studies show that the more people understand the food waste problem the easier they can spot products contributing to real solutions; and the more willing they are to make regular purchases or pay premium prices. Government support for organic recycling innovation could be the piece of the puzzle that makes these recycled food products more affordable for consumers and attractive to investors. Attracting outside capital from private entities is a good sign of growth potential ensuring that development isn’t propped up by subsidies indefinitely.

Successful upcycling companies are aware that worthy endeavors gain the most traction when consumers are on board. Misfits Market, for example, is tackling convenience issues while still keeping their “ugly” food affordable.  ReGrained, a company using spent brewers grains to make granola bars and flours, has failed multiple times to produce an affordable product that consumers enjoy. They are using their failure to create dialogue with consumers as well as other like minded businesses for the sake of collaboration. 

Pulp Pantry’s Trashy chips boast trashy snacks without the junk. Their model makes use of fruit and vegetable fibers discarded during juice making processes. Like Misfits Market, they are leveraging language that speaks directly to the problem and the solution ensuring costumes know that when buying these veggies chips they are supporting a valuable effort. You might have to join a waiting list to make a bulk purchase since they don’t have quite the robust supply chain as say, Ruffles potato chips, which will cost you about $10 less for the same quantity of snacks being sold out could be a good sign of growing demand.

As a grand experiment in both science and consumer perception, upcycled food is steadily finding traction and could dramatically change the way we think about resource efficiency.  Instead of producing more using less, upcycled food is making us rethink how well we are using what we are already producing.