Upcycled Food Association

What Upcycled Food Association does

Upcycled Food Association (UFA) is a nonprofit trade association founded in 2019 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, that builds the upcycled food economy by reducing food waste through industry coordination. The organization operates the Upcycled Certified program, the only third-party certification globally for upcycled foods, which verifies that products use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured through verifiable supply chains, and have positive environmental impact. The certification is administered in partnership with Where Food Comes From as part of their family of Standards. As of the data period, 93 companies are certified under the program, encompassing 374 products and ingredients that collectively divert approximately 390,000 tons of food waste annually.

UFA generates revenue through two primary streams: annual membership dues across six tiers (ranging from $50/year for students to $7,500/year for Champion corporate partners) and certification fees for the Upcycled Certified program. The association serves a diverse cross-section of the food supply chain, including CPG companies (e.g., Del Monte, Misfits Market, Harmless Harvest), ingredient suppliers (Kerry, IFF, Olam Food Ingredients), retailers (US Foods), and supporting organizations such as Planet FWD and Where Food Comes From. Beyond certification, UFA runs community-building programs including the annual Upcycled Food Month in June, the #UFFSciComm Global Scientific Symposium, a searchable member directory, and webinars and trade show presence at major industry events (Expo West, Summer Fancy Food Show, IFT FIRST). The affiliated 501(c)(3) Upcycled Food Foundation handles research and education, while UFA is expanding geographically with the launch of UFA CAN, a Canadian food upcycling network scheduled for 2026.

Name

Upcycled Food Association

Legal name

Upcycled Food Association

Website

https://upcycledfood.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Upcycled Food Association is a nonprofit trade association founded in 2019 that accelerates the upcycled food economy through membership tiers, the Upcycled Certified third-party certification program, and industry events serving CPG brands, retailers, ingredient suppliers, and nonprofits globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Food Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty & Functional Packaged Foods (Gluten-Free, Keto, Organic, Medical/Allergen-Friendly) (CRADAAAI)

Keywords

• Food waste reduction
• Upcycled food certification
• Trade association membership
• Sustainable food industry
• Circular food economy

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from companies, nonprofits, and individuals across the upcycled food industry. Six membership tiers ranging from $50/year (students) to $7,500/year (Champion corporate partners). Revenue supports association operations, industry initiatives, and member services.
2. Upcycled Certified Certification Fees: Third-party certification fees for the Upcycled Certified program, administered in partnership with Where Food Comes From. Companies pay for application, auditing, and certification to use the Upcycled Certified mark on their products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Upcycled Food Association (UFA) is a global nonprofit trade association that provides tiered annual memberships and operates the Upcycled Certified third-party certification program for upcycled foods. The association recruits companies across the food supply chain—CPG brands, retailers, ingredient suppliers, food manufacturers, technology companies, and nonprofits—to join as members and certify their products. UFA also runs the annual Upcycled Food Month and the UFF SciComm Global Scientific Symposium to advance the upcycled food economy.

Product overview

Upcycled Food Association (UFA) is a global membership-based trade association rather than a software product company. The organization offers membership programs with six tiers (Champion at $7,500/year, Advocate at $2,500/year, Supporter at $1,000/year, Nonprofit at $500/year, Individual at $100/year, Student at $50/year), the Upcycled Certified third-party certification program (operated through Where Food Comes From), annual Upcycled Food Month celebrations in June, the #UFFSciComm Global Scientific Symposium series, and manages the affiliated 501(c)(3) Upcycled Food Foundation. UFA does not offer a software product with technical integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Upcycled Food Association Membership Global membership-based trade association offering six annual tiers (Champion, Advocate, Supporter, Nonprofit, Individual, Student) that provides community networking, industry insights, trade show discounts, advisory support, and leadership opportunities for companies and individuals in the upcycled food economy. Membership dues range from $50/year (student) to $7,500/year (Champion corporate partner).
• Upcycled Certified Program Third-party certification program (part of the Where Food Comes From family of Standards) that verifies products use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured through verifiable supply chains, and have positive environmental impact. Companies pay application, auditing, and certification fees to use the Upcycled Certified mark on their products.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93 companies have diverted an average of 390,000 tons of food waste annually through Upcycled Certified products
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Where Food Comes FromcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhere Food Comes From is the third-party certifying body for the Upcycled Certified program. They administer the certification process including applications, auditing, and issuance of the Upcycled Certified mark. The program is now part of the Where Food Comes From family of Standards and is growing globally.
• Vineland Research and Innovation CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVineland Research and Innovation Center drove the research and community-building efforts that formed the foundation for UFA CAN, UFA's Canadian food upcycling network. Their work laid the groundwork for UFA's expansion into Canada.
• ReFEDmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReFED is a food waste analytics group that provides research and analysis on food waste reduction. Dog & Whistle, a pet food company, partnered with ReFED to integrate sustainability practices. UFA collaborates with ReFED on webinars and events including the Food Waste Solutions Summit.
• Specialty Food AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUFA partnered with the Specialty Food Association to host the first-ever Upcycled Food Pavilion at the Summer Fancy Food Show. UFA members receive 25-50% discounts on registration for SFA events.
• Climate CollaborativeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUFA participates in the Climate Day resource fair at Expo West, connecting with climate-focused companies and sharing information about the upcycled food movement.
• Planet FWDmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlanet FWD is a sustainability technology company that provides carbon neutrality verification for brands. They sponsor UFA events including the NYC Upcycled Happy Hour during Upcycled Food Month.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Non-GMO Project: Independent third-party verification program for non-GMO food products. Directly comparable to UFA's Upcycled Certified as a consumer-facing food claim verification mark with similar audit/certification model.
• Fair Trade USA: Third-party certification body for ethical sourcing claims on food and consumer products. Comparable in operating a paid certification mark that signals sustainability/ethical attributes to consumers and retailers.
• Rainforest Alliance: Global sustainability certification for food, agriculture, and forestry products. Comparable model of paid third-party certification, mark licensing, and supply-chain auditing across CPG supply chains.
• Where Food Comes From: UFA's certification execution partner and operator of the Upcycled Certified standard. Comparable as a food-claims verification and supply-chain auditing business serving CPG and ingredient companies.
• B Lab (B Corporation): Certifies companies against social and environmental performance standards with a paid certification and licensing model. Comparable as a paid sustainability verification program marketed to CPG and food brands.
• Marine Stewardship Council: International non-profit that runs a leading seafood sustainability certification and eco-label. Closely comparable operating model — nonprofit, paid certification, consumer-facing mark on packaged food.

Broad incumbents

• Specialty Food Association: Major U.S. trade association for specialty food producers, retailers, and distributors. Comparable as a membership-based food industry trade body; UFA partnered with SFA for the Upcycled Food Pavilion at Summer Fancy Food Show.
• Food Marketing Institute (FMI): Large food retail and wholesale trade association. Comparable as a broad food-industry membership association, though at much larger scale and serving the retail/operator side of the supply chain.

Emerging players

• ReFED: Non-profit food-waste analytics organization that collaborates with UFA on webinars and the Food Waste Solutions Summit. Comparable as a food-waste-focused nonprofit building data and policy infrastructure adjacent to UFA's certification work.
• Green Seal: Independent non-profit that certifies products and services against science-based sustainability standards. Comparable as a paid third-party sustainability mark, though focused more on cleaning/packaging than food.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upcycled-food-association

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Upcycled Food Association