NETZRO, SBC

What NETZRO, SBC does

NETZRO, SBC is a Minneapolis/St. Paul-based food technology company founded in 2019 that develops proprietary equipment and a process platform to convert industrial food and beverage byproducts — primarily brewer's and distillery spent grain and liquid-egg-facility eggshells — into commercial-grade upcycled food ingredients such as spent grain flours (rye, corn, wheat/barley blend, Kernza), calcium carbonate (marketed as Calcium++), collagen protein, botanicals, and a Farmer Feed Blend. The Gen2 upcycling process, developed by Chief Science and Technology Officer Craig Dowd (formerly of Pillsbury and General Mills), uses a thermal/drying method to produce shelf-stable, bacteria-free ingredients, and the equipment is designed to run on renewable energy with cloud-based monitoring of process parameters.

The company operates a hybrid business model spanning equipment licensing to food and beverage manufacturing facilities (egg processors, breweries, distilleries), direct B2B sales of upcycled ingredients to food manufacturers, pet food companies, and cosmetics firms, professional consulting services around facility and market deployment, and a network/circular-economy platform that matches byproduct generators with upcycled ingredient producers. During COVID-19 the company also pivoted temporarily into direct-to-consumer sales via Twin Cities farmers markets. NETZRO is structured as a Specific Benefit Corporation, is B Corp certified, is a founding member of the Upcycled Food Association, and is majority female-owned.

NETZRO's customer base is concentrated in the U.S. Midwest and skews toward small and mid-sized breweries, distilleries, bakeries (notably Avalon International Breads), and emerging upcycled-food CPG brands (Upcycled Grain Project, We Are Nuts). Strategic backers and partners include Tyson Ventures (Demo Day 2023), the Kroger Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation / Village Capital (2021 Innovation Fund cohort), the JLL Foundation, AURI, and academic partners (University of St. Thomas, University of Minnesota, Drexel). The company is actively raising capital to scale its platform toward an ambition of diverting 20 billion pounds per year of food byproducts from landfill, and has signaled near-term international expansion into Europe and Asia.

Name

NETZRO, SBC

Legal name

NETZRO, SBC

Website

https://netzro.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NETZRO, SBC is a Minneapolis-based food technology company that licenses proprietary equipment and sells upcycled food ingredients derived from industrial brewery, distillery, and eggshell byproducts to food manufacturers and CPG brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Upcycled Food Ingredients and Food Upcycling Equipment

NAICS

Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing (311423), Animal Food Manufacturing (3111)

SIC

Grain Mill Products (2040), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Dried & Dehydrated Foods Manufacturing (AFAKACAK)

Keywords

• Food upcycling technology
• Upcycled food ingredients
• Spent grain processing
• Food byproduct equipment
• Circular food economy

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Equipment Licensing: NETZRO licenses its proprietary equipment and technology platform to food and beverage manufacturing facilities, particularly egg processing facilities and breweries. The company provides consulting on facilities, transportation logistics, process throughput, and market identification and sales support.
2. Upcycled Ingredient Sales: Selling commercialized upcycled calcium and collagen from eggshells, and spent grain flour from breweries and distilleries, to food manufacturers, pet food companies, and cosmetics industry.
3. Knowledge and Consulting Services: Expertise and consulting assistance for businesses looking to utilize the upcycling platform, including support for facilities, transportation logistics, process throughput, market identification and sales.
4. Direct-to-Consumer (COVID Pivot): Selling flour and baking mixes directly to consumers through farmers markets and co-ops, using 20% spent grain flour combined with other flours.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NETZRO develops and licenses proprietary food upcycling equipment and a technology platform that converts industrial food and beverage byproducts—primarily spent grain from breweries and distilleries and eggshells from liquid egg processors—into shelf-stable, bacteria-free upcycled food ingredients. The company sells commercialized upcycled ingredients (flours, calcium, collagen) to food, pet food, and cosmetics manufacturers and provides consulting and network access through the NETZRO Network.

Product overview

NETZRO operates as a food upcycling technology platform offering both proprietary equipment licensing and finished upcycled ingredient products. The platform transforms food and beverage byproducts (primarily spent grains from breweries/distilleries and eggshells from liquid egg production) into commercial-grade upcycled food ingredients. The product portfolio includes Upcycled Spent Grain Flour (available as Upcycled Rye, Upcycled Corn, Upcycled Wheat/Barley Blend, and Upcycled Kernza), eggshell-derived products (Calcium++ and Upcycled Collagen), Upcycled Botanicals, and Farmer Feed Blend. The company licenses its proprietary equipment and technology platform to food and beverage manufacturers, providing knowledge, equipment, and network connections to enable local upcycling communities. The Wycliff Facility in St. Paul, MN serves as the company's demonstration and production hub.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Upcycled Spent Grain Flour: Reharvested spent grain flour from breweries and distilleries, processed through NETZRO's upcycling platform in St. Paul, MN, used in products like Maple Bourbon Almonds by We Are Nuts.
• Upcycled Grain Project

Products and services

• Upcycled Spent Grain Flour Reharvested spent grain from breweries and distilleries processed through NETZRO's upcycling platform into high-quality flour that adds fiber, protein, flavor, and reduces sugar in food applications; sold to food manufacturers and consumer brands.
• Upcycled Rye Reharvested spent grain sourced and recovered from distilleries, available as unmilled grain or flour, sold to food manufacturers.
• Upcycled Corn Reharvested spent grain sourced and recovered from distilleries, processed into upcycled corn ingredient for food manufacturers.
• Upcycled Wheat/Barley Blend Reharvested spent grain sourced and recovered from breweries, processed into low-carb, high-protein, high-fiber, commercial-grade flour for food manufacturers.
• Upcycled Kernza Perennial wheatgrass-based upcycled ingredient that is high in protein, high in antioxidants, with eight times the insoluble fiber of wheat and a sweet, nutty flavor; sold to food manufacturers.
• Calcium++ Upcycled calcium carbonate derived from eggshells sourced from liquid egg-breaking facilities, sold to food, pet food, and cosmetics manufacturers.
• Upcycled Collagen Collagen protein recovered from eggshell membrane during eggshell processing; suitable for animal and human consumption including health and beauty industry applications.
• Upcycled Botanicals Upcycled botanical ingredients for various food applications, sold to food manufacturers.
• Farmer Feed Blend Animal feed product derived from upcycled food byproducts through NETZRO's farmers pilot program, sold to farmers and feed buyers.
• NETZRO Proprietary Equipment & Technology Platform Licensable proprietary equipment and thermal/drying technology platform that food and beverage manufacturers use to upcycle their byproducts into upcycled ingredients at scale; includes cloud-based monitoring and renewable-energy-compatible design, with consulting on facilities, logistics, and markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces 300 million pounds of annual US eggshell waste
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Avalon International BreadscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022Avalon uses NETZRO-sourced upcycled spent grain flour to make crackers for their Upcycled Grain Project line in Detroit. Featured in Planet Detroit climate resilience coverage.
• Upcycled Grain ProjectcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022US brand partner using NETZRO upcycled spent grain in their line of snacks including cranberry coconut, fig cardamom, orange sesame, and raisin rosemary crackers.
• The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021NETZRO was selected for the 2021 Innovation Fund cohort from nearly 150 applicants. The foundation collaborated with Village Capital to support innovative solutions preventing, recovering, and recycling food waste.
• Tyson Ventures / Tyson FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNETZRO was among four national entrepreneurs chosen by Tyson Ventures for Demo Day 2023. Danyel Bischof-Forsyth, former CTO at Tyson Foods, joined NETZRO's board to provide technology leadership and impact data innovation.
• Village CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVillage Capital collaborated with Kroger's Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation to source and support innovative food waste solutions. NETZRO was part of the 2021 Innovation Fund cohort.
• Upcycled Food AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNETZRO is a founding member of the Upcycled Food Association, which created the Upcycled Certified Program. Sue Marshall serves as a founder and executive of UFA.
• AURI (Agricultural Utilization Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNETZRO has conducted research with AURI on food byproduct upcycling and participated in their podcast. Long-standing partnership since 2015.
• University of St. ThomasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNETZRO was started as an idea out of a venture strategy class at the University of St. Thomas. Ongoing academic partnership.
• University of MinnesotaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership in food systems and agricultural research.
• Drexel UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Drexel's close loop systems initiative for food waste research.
• Rutherford and MeyerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand partner collaborating on upcycled grain project to rescue brewer's spent grain.
• BuhlercoreTechnology or IntegrationSophisticated supply chain partner mentioned in the context of NETZRO's project with AMAI for upcycled ingredient creation.
• AMAIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership creating entirely new use of upcycled ingredient and bulls with sophisticated supply chain partners such as Buhler.
• We Are NutscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUses NETZRO's Twin Cities Upcycled Spent Grain Flour in their Maple Bourbon Almonds product. Partner in NETZRO's product portfolio.
• Tattersall DistillingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistillery partner where spent rye grain is upcycled by NETZRO into flour. Featured in recipes and customer stories.
• Liftbridge BreweryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner brewery in NETZRO's circular food economy network.
• FinnegansminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner brewery in NETZRO's circular food economy network.
• Forsman FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural partner in NETZRO's sustainable food community network.
• Field Theory HempminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in NETZRO's sustainable food community network focused on alternative crops.
• Baker's Field Flour & BreadminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal organic whole wheat flour supplier for NETZRO's 80/20 flour blend (20% spent grain flour, 80% Baker's Field whole grain flour).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Renewal Mill: Renewal Mill produces baking ingredients and baking mixes from upcycled food by-products (e.g., okara, pulp). It is a direct competitor in the upcycled ingredient category NETZRO serves, targeting the same food manufacturers and bakery customers with a similar upcycling story.
• ReGrain: ReGrain upcycles brewers' spent grain into food products, directly competing with NETZRO's core spent-grain flour offering. Both companies run programs at breweries and distilleries, competing for the same partner network.
• Rise Products: Rise Products makes baking mixes from upcycled brewers' spent grain sold direct-to-consumer and through food service. Highly comparable to NETZRO's Upcycled Rye / Wheat-Barley flour flour line.

Emerging players

• Outcast Foods: Outcast Foods dehydrates surplus and misshapen fruits and vegetables into shelf-stable ingredients for food manufacturers. It overlaps with NETZRO on the dehy/framing of upcycled produce streams and shares the B2B ingredient customer.
• Pulp Pantry: Pulp Pantry makes snacks from upcycled juice pulp — competing for retailer and distributor mindshare within the upcycled food category that NETZRO helps supply. Adjacent rather than head-to-head ingredient competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Cargill: Cargill is one of the world's largest agricultural commodity and food ingredient suppliers with growing investment in upcycled and sustainability-adjacent ingredient lines. As a broad incumbent it dwarfs NETZRO but competes for the same food-manufacturer ingredient wallet.
• GEA Group: GEA is a global manufacturer of food processing and packaging equipment, including separation, drying and thermal systems used in byproduct upcycling. As a broad incumbent, GEA could partner or compete with NETZRO's licensing equipment business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@netzro-foodupcyclingintell1019
• Facebookfacebook.com/NETZRO.US
• Instagraminstagram.com/netzro.us
• Xx.com/NETZRO_US

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NETZRO, SBC