Upcycled Foods
Upcycled Foods is a Berkeley-based B2B upcycled ingredient and innovation-services company that converts food manufacturing byproducts — led by its ReGrained SuperGrain+® brewers' spent grain platform — into functional ingredients for CPG brands, ingredient suppliers, retailers, and growers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersBerkeley, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Upcycled Foods does
Upcycled Foods, Inc. (operating as ReGrained / UP, Inc.) is a Berkeley, California-based B2B ingredient and innovation-services company that transforms food manufacturing byproducts and agricultural waste into functional food ingredients. Its flagship platform is ReGrained SuperGrain+®, derived from brewers' spent grain using patent-pending processing technology co-developed with the USDA, delivering 3.5x the dietary fiber and 2x the plant protein of whole grain flours alongside a 43% lower CO2e footprint than conventional wheat flour. The company has expanded into additional upcycled ingredient categories including SuperGrain+ Protein and Fiber variants, Upcycled Arabica Coffee Leaf Tea, Upcycled Cacao Fruit Syrup, Cacao Husk, date-based ingredients, and Upcycled Wine Raisins (CabernayZyn, MerlayZyn, ChardonayZyn).
The business operates a dual revenue model. The first stream is sale of proprietary upcycled ingredients in formats ranging from flour and flakes to syrups and raisins, sold on a quote-based B2B basis to CPG brands, ingredient suppliers, and food manufacturers. The second stream is professional innovation services delivered through the Upcycled Food Lab, providing end-to-end support from opportunity discovery through commercialization, including co-development partnerships. Named enterprise customers include Kroger (private label breads in 1,800 stores), Mondelez, Kerry (co-developed upcycled protein crisp), Puratos (SuperGrain+ Sourdough System), Misfits Market (Odds & Ends private label breads), Griffith Foods (lead investor), Wine RayZyn Company, Stone & Skillet, Act Bar, and Semolina Artisanal Pasta. The company co-founded the Upcycled Food Association and the Upcycled Certification Standard, holds B Corp and Public Benefit Corporation status, and operates with a small (1–10) employee base from a single Berkeley headquarters.
The company has taken only $2.5M in disclosed outside funding (a September 2018 Series Seed led by Griffith Foods with participation from Barilla Group's BLU1877 and Telluric Foods), which it has used to scale processing technology and commercialize the ingredient business. Distribution relies primarily on direct enterprise sales supplemented by channel partnerships with major ingredient suppliers (Kerry, Puratos, California Cereal Products), retailer private-label programs (Kroger, Misfits Market), and foodservice distributors.
Upcycled Foods firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Upcycled Foods
- Legal name
- Upcycled Foods, Inc.
- Website
- https://upcycledfoods.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Upcycled Foods is a Berkeley-based B2B upcycled ingredient and innovation-services company that converts food manufacturing byproducts — led by its ReGrained SuperGrain+® brewers' spent grain platform — into functional ingredients for CPG brands, ingredient suppliers, retailers, and growers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Upcycled Foods industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Upcycled food ingredients
- NAICS
- Other Food Manufacturing (3119), Food Manufacturing (311)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fortified & Enriched Foods Manufacturing (Vitamins/Minerals, Iodized/Supplemented) (AFAKAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Alternative Protein Snacks, Bars & RTD Nutrition Manufacturing (AFAKAGAK), Functional Snacks & Bars Manufacturing (High-Protein, High-Fiber, Probiotic Snacks) (AFAKAJAG), Snack Bars (Granola, Protein, Cereal Bars) (CRADABAG), Specialty & Functional Packaged Foods (Gluten-Free, Keto, Organic, Medical/Allergen-Friendly) (CRADAAAI)
Keywords
Where Upcycled Foods is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berkeley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Upcycled Foods business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Upcycled Ingredient Sales: Sale of proprietary upcycled ingredients including ReGrained SuperGrain+® and other upcycled food ingredients to food manufacturers and CPG brands. Ingredients are sold in various formats including flour, protein crisps, flakes, syrups, teas, and date products.
- Innovation Services (Upcycled Food Lab): End-to-end innovation services including opportunity discovery, business case development, product development, scale-up and commercialization, and market launch support. Acts as extension of client teams to help food makers develop upcycled products.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Upcycled Foods product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Upcycled Foods, Inc. is a B2B ingredient supplier that produces and sells upcycled food ingredients—led by its ReGrained SuperGrain+ platform derived from brewers' spent grain—to food manufacturers, CPG brands, retailers, and foodservice operators. The company supplements ingredient sales with end-to-end innovation services through its Upcycled Food Labs, which help food and agriculture stakeholders convert byproducts and waste streams into commercial upcycled products.
Product overview
Upcycled Foods, Inc. (operating as ReGrained) is a Public Benefit Corporation and B Corp certified ingredient supplier that offers a portfolio of upcycled food ingredients and innovation services. The core product line centers on SuperGrain+ (derived from spent brewing grain), complemented by additional upcycled ingredients including coffee leaf tea, cacao products, date ingredients, and wine raisins. The company provides ingredient products directly to food manufacturers alongside innovation lab services for custom product development. Partnerships with Puratos (sourdough system), Kerry (protein crisp), and California Cereal Products (multigrain flakes) extend the product portfolio through co-branded modules and applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ReGrained SuperGrain+: Flagship upcycled ingredient platform derived from brewers' spent grain, offering protein, fiber, and prebiotics for food applications.
- SuperGrain+ Protein
- SuperGrain+ Fiber
- Upcycled Foods Lab
- Odds & Ends
Products and services
- ReGrained SuperGrain+ Flagship upcycled ingredient portfolio derived from brewers' spent grain from craft brewing, providing functional protein, fiber, and prebiotics to food manufacturers for baked goods, snacks, extrusions, coatings, sauces, and beverages.
- SuperGrain+ PROTEIN High-protein upcycled ingredient variant delivering 45% plant-based protein with neutral taste and clean finish, rich in glutamic acid, polyphenols, and branched-chain amino acids; supports water binding, emulsification, and structure in snack, bar, and baked good formulations.
- SuperGrain+ FIBER Clean-label fiber fortifier at 69% dietary fiber content that enables high-impact nutrition claims and low net carb positioning; functions as a natural moisture binder and structural booster in food formulations.
- SuperGrain+ Sourdough System Complete sourdough system combining Puratos' sourdoughs and enzymes with ReGrained SuperGrain+ flour, enabling bakeries to create authentic upcycled sourdough products with consistent fermentation performance.
- Upcycled Protein Crisp Protein-rich crisp ingredient co-developed with Kerry, delivering 40% protein and 16% fiber for inclusion in high-protein snack applications and better-for-you product formulations.
- SuperGrain+ Multigrain Flakes Ready-to-use upcycled grain flakes containing 30% ReGrained content with up to 3x fiber of conventional multigrain flakes, developed in partnership with California Cereal Products for cereal and bar applications.
- Upcycled Arabica Coffee Leaf Tea Premium upcycled ingredient made from handpicked arabica coffee leaves, featuring light diffused caffeine, antioxidants, and polyphenols for tea and beverage applications; creates year-round jobs in coffee offseason.
- Upcycled Cacao Fruit Syrup Syrup produced from upcycled cacao fruit pulp containing theobromine, with applications ranging from sour ales to sauces and marinades.
- Cacao Husk Upcycled ingredient from the outer shell of cacao pods, utilized as a functional ingredient in various food applications.
- Date Ingredients (Sugar, Paste & Syrup) Line of upcycled date-based ingredients including date sugar, date paste, and date syrup for natural sweetener applications in food and beverage.
- Upcycled Wine Raisins Whole upcycled raisins sourced from unharvested wine grapes in California vineyards, available in three varietals (CabernayZyn, MerlayZyn, ChardonayZyn) with 8x the antioxidants of regular raisins and unique crunch from toasted seeds.
- Upcycled Food Lab Innovation Services End-to-end B2B innovation services covering opportunity discovery, business case development, product development, scale-up and commercialization, and market launch support; helps food and agriculture stakeholders turn byproducts and waste streams into commercial upcycled products.
Quantifiable outcome
- ReGrained SuperGrain+ emits 43% less CO2e per pound than conventional wheat flour
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Upcycled Foods
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Upcycled Foods technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Upcycled Foods partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Misfits MarketcoreCo-developed first upcycled breads for grocer's private label under Odds & Ends brand. Launched Multigrain Bread and Honey Wheat Bread featuring ReGrained SuperGrain+ with Puratos' sourdough. Exclusive retail availability through Misfits Market.
- Act BarcoreCo-developed new line of upcycled snack bars with ReGrained SuperGrain+. Three flavors: Cashew Coconut, Peanut Butter Cacao Nib, Pecan S'mores. UP, Inc. provided innovation lab services for product development and commercialization support.
- Stone & SkilletcoreLaunched Upcycled Certified English muffin made with ReGrained SuperGrain+. Product features 6g protein and 6g fiber per serving. Distributed through Imperfect Foods and Misfits Market initially, expanding to brick-and-mortar retailers.
- PuratoscoreCo-developed SuperGrain+ Sourdough Baker's Blend for commercial bakery applications. Partnership offers turnkey and custom solutions combining Puratos' sourdoughs and enzymes with ReGrained's SuperGrain+ flour for industrial and artisanal applications.
- KerrycoreCo-developed world's first upcycled protein crisp with 40% protein and 16% fiber. Kerry distributes the crisps and provides formulation, application, and category expertise. Partnership aims to reach over 2 billion consumers with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030.
- Semolina Artisanal PastaminorCo-branded Upcycled Strozzapreti pasta powered by ReGrained. Limited edition product featuring 3x fiber and saving more than 1 pound of food per box.
- MondelezcorePartnership for upcycled ingredient innovation in snack and baked goods categories. Logo displayed on company website as partner.
- KrogercorePrivate label bread innovation partnership. Co-developed three bread SKUs (Seeded Multigrain, Multigrain Quinoa, Apple Cinnamon) with ReGrained SuperGrain+ for Kroger's private label. Products launched in 1,800 stores across 18 states supporting Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative.
- The Wine RayZyn CompanycorePartnership to supply upcycled wine raisin ingredients including CabernayZyn, MerlayZyn, and ChardonayZyn. Made from unharvested wine grapes from California vineyards. Contains 8x antioxidants compared to regular raisins.
- Almond Board of CaliforniacorePartnership with Upcycled Foods and BEAM Circular to develop upcycled almond hull ingredients. Project focuses on developing prototypes, testing operational viability, and validating market channels.
- Farm Fresh To YouminorDistribution partnership for ReGrained SuperGrain+ Puffs through organic produce delivery service. Three flavors available as add-on to weekly fruit and vegetable boxes.
- California Cereal ProductsminorDevelopment partner for SuperGrain+ Multigrain Flakes. Upcycled grain flakes offering superior texture, flavor, and appearance with 30% ReGrained content and up to 3x fiber of conventional multigrain flakes.
- Upcycled Food AssociationcoreCo-founded industry non-profit trade association. Administers Upcycled Certified third-party certification program with 200+ members. Company co-developed first Upcycled Certification Standard.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Upcycled Foods competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kerry Group: Kerry is a global taste and nutrition ingredients giant and a current Upcycled Foods co-development partner; it is comparable as a much larger incumbent that could internalize upcycled ingredient capabilities and compete downstream.
- Griffith Foods: Griffith Foods is a global customized food ingredient manufacturer that led Upcycled Foods' seed round and partners on the upcycling mission; it represents a broader incumbent ingredient supplier with the capability to commercialize upcycled inputs at scale.
- Puratos: Puratos is a global bakery, patisserie, and chocolate ingredients company and partner on the SuperGrain+ Sourdough Baker's Blend; it is comparable as an established incumbent with the scale to co-opt upcycled bakery ingredients.
Direct peers
- BarePlanet: BarePlanet produces plant-based snacks using upcycled fruit and vegetable ingredients, including dehydrated fruit crisps; its ingredient sourcing model and sustainability positioning place it in direct comparison with Upcycled Foods' SuperGrain+ portfolio.
- Wasted (formerly Wasted Inc.): Wasted is a Dutch upcycled food brand turning brewery grain and other byproducts into consumer products; while more consumer-facing than Upcycled Foods, it shares the same upcycled grain thesis and competing for shelf space and category narrative.
- Renewal Mill: Renewal Mill is a B2B upcycled food ingredient company best known for its okara-based products; it shares Upcycled Foods' model of converting food manufacturing byproducts into branded ingredients for CPG customers and is a direct comparable in the upcycled ingredient category.
- Outcast Foods: Outcast Foods upcycles surplus and misshapen produce into powdered fruit and vegetable ingredients for food manufacturers, closely paralleling Upcycled Foods' B2B ingredient platform model targeting CPG brand sustainability needs.
- Kuli Kuli: Kuli Kuli is an upcycled/superfood ingredient company built around moringa, selling B2B ingredients and consumer products; it is comparable to Upcycled Foods as a category-defining upcycled ingredient brand serving both retail and CPG customers.
Others
- Misfits Market: Misfits Market is an Upcycled Foods customer and adjacent operator that sources 'imperfect' produce to reduce food waste; it is comparable as a downstream channel partner and ecosystem participant in the broader anti-food-waste economy.
- Mondelez International: Mondelez is an Upcycled Foods partner exploring upcycled ingredients in snacks and baked goods; it is comparable as a global CPG customer and ecosystem participant whose adoption decisions materially shape the upcycled category trajectory.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Upcycled Foods social profiles
Digital presenceUpcycled Foods compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Upcycled Foods financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Upcycled Foods leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Upcycled Foods funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Upcycled Foods M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Upcycled Foods
What does Upcycled Foods do?
Upcycled Foods, Inc. is a B2B ingredient supplier that produces and sells upcycled food ingredients—led by its ReGrained SuperGrain+ platform derived from brewers' spent grain—to food manufacturers, CPG brands, retailers, and foodservice operators. The company supplements ingredient sales with end-to-end innovation services through its Upcycled Food Labs, which help food and agriculture stakeholders convert byproducts and waste streams into commercial upcycled products.
Is Upcycled Foods a public or private company?
Upcycled Foods is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Upcycled Foods founded?
Upcycled Foods was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Upcycled Foods based?
Upcycled Foods is headquartered in Berkeley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Upcycled Foods make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Upcycled Ingredient Sales are the primary driver. The others are innovation Services (Upcycled Food Lab).
Who are Upcycled Foods's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kerry Group, Griffith Foods and Puratos. Direct peers are BarePlanet, Wasted (formerly Wasted Inc.), Renewal Mill, Outcast Foods and Kuli Kuli. Others are Misfits Market and Mondelez International.
Does Upcycled Foods have an API?
No public API is recorded for Upcycled Foods.
What industry is Upcycled Foods in?
Upcycled Foods's product category is Upcycled food ingredients. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAJAB, Fortified & Enriched Foods Manufacturing (Vitamins/Minerals, Iodized/Supplemented), with a secondary code of AFAKAGAK, Alternative Protein Snacks, Bars & RTD Nutrition Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 3119 and its SIC code is 2090.