Name

Upgrain

Legal name

UpGrain AG

Website

https://sustainable-ingredients.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Upcycled Food Ingredients (Plant Protein & Fiber)

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Grain Mill Products (2040)

akta.pro primary industry

Plant Protein Ingredients Manufacturing (Isolates, Concentrates, Flours) (AFAKAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Plant-Based Protein Ingredient Producers (Isolates, Concentrates, Texturates) (AFANAKAB)

Keywords

• Upcycled food ingredients
• Plant protein ingredients
• Brewer spent grain
• Textured vegetable protein
• Sustainable food upcycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Appenzell

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ingredient Product Sales: Upgrain generates revenue by selling its UpGrain Protein, Classic, TVP, and Flakes ingredient products to food manufacturers. These are specialty ingredients sold in bulk to B2B customers for use in bakery, meat substitute, pasta, and snack applications. The revenue model is transactional/ingredient supply, with likely recurring purchase orders from established B2B food manufacturing customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Upgrain upcycles brewer's spent grain (BSG) into four specialty food ingredients — UpGrain Protein, UpGrain Classic, UpGrain TVP, and UpGrain Flakes — and sells these in bulk to B2B food manufacturers for use in bakery, plant-based meat, pasta, and snack applications. Production relies on a proprietary mechanical separation and drying process that gently recovers protein- and fiber-rich fractions, yielding ingredients with 45–64% protein and 10–57% fiber, certified Kosher, Halal, and non-GMO.

Product overview

Upgrain is a Swiss food innovation company that transforms brewery side streams (barley from the brewing process) into protein and fiber-rich ingredients through mechanical separation and drying technology. The company produces four distinct product lines: UpGrain Protein (high-protein powder), UpGrain Classic (fiber-rich flour replacement), UpGrain TVP (textured vegetable protein for meat substitutes), and UpGrain Flakes (protein-rich breakfast flakes). These ingredients serve various food applications including baked goods, meat substitutes, pasta, and snacks, positioning the company as an ingredient supplier to food manufacturers rather than a consumer product brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UpGrain Protein Protein-rich ingredient made from brewer's spent grain (barley malt) containing 45% protein, 31% fiber, and 1% carbohydrates. Marketed as a high-protein, low-CO2, Kosher, Halal, and non-GMO ingredient sold in bulk to food manufacturers for use in bakery, snacks, pasta, and meat-substitute applications.
• UpGrain Classic Fiber-rich flour replacement made from brewer's spent grain, containing 21% protein, 57% fiber, and 1% carbohydrates. Designed as a clean-label ingredient for bakery and snack applications to boost nutritional and fiber content.
• UpGrain TVP Textured vegetable protein with a meat-like (ground-beef style) texture, containing 64% protein, 15% fiber, and 7% carbohydrates. Produced using 33% UpGrain Protein, free of colorants, and sold to manufacturers for plant-based meat substitute formulations.
• UpGrain Flakes Protein-rich breakfast flakes made with 25% UpGrain Protein, containing 35% protein, 10% fiber, and 40% carbohydrates. Sugar-free and soy-free, sold as an ingredient for breakfast cereals and snack applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produces 90% fewer CO₂ emissions than conventional protein sources such as soy or pea protein

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BarentzcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBarentz is a global life science ingredients distributor that resells and distributes Upgrain's ingredient products (UpGrain Protein, Classic, TVP, Flakes) to food and beverage manufacturers worldwide. The partnership enables Upgrain to access international markets through Barentz's established distribution infrastructure.
• ABSFOODcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorABSFOOD is a functional food ingredient distributor that serves as a reseller of Upgrain's grain-based protein and fiber ingredients. The partnership supports Upgrain's market reach in European food manufacturing sectors, particularly for bakery, meat substitute, pasta, and snack applications.
• CeresalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCeresal is a German-based ingredients distributor listed on Upgrain's website as a distributor partner. The partnership provides regional distribution coverage, particularly in German-speaking European markets, for Upgrain's ingredient product range.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• InnovoPro: Israeli producer of chickpea protein ingredients for food applications. Comparable as an emerging specialty plant-protein ingredient supplier targeting meat-substitute and dairy-alternative formulations through B2B channels.
• Roquette: Global leader in plant-based ingredients (notably pea protein isolates and texturates under NUTRALYS). Most directly comparable to Upgrain on plant protein ingredients, B2B ingredient sales model, and applications spanning bakery, snacks, and meat substitutes.
• Cosucra: Belgian producer of pea protein isolates and chicory root fiber sold as B2B functional ingredients. Comparable to Upgrain as a mid-sized European specialist selling plant protein and fiber ingredients to food manufacturers across multiple verticals.
• Axiom Foods: US-based supplier of plant-based proteins including rice, pea, and quinoa ingredients for bakery, snacks, and beverages. Comparable to Upgrain on B2B specialty ingredient distribution with a multi-format plant-protein portfolio.
• AGT Foods: Global plant-based ingredient and pulse processor producing protein isolates, flours, and texturates from pulses. Comparable to Upgrain on B2B plant-protein ingredient manufacturing and a multi-product portfolio serving bakery and meat-substitute customers.
• Emsland Group: German manufacturer of plant-based ingredients derived from potatoes and legumes, including protein isolates and texturates. Comparable to Upgrain on European mid-sized plant-protein ingredient production for bakery, meat, and snack applications.
• Sonic Biochem: Indian producer of plant-based protein ingredients (soya, wheat, and specialty grain proteins including concentrates and texturates). Comparable to Upgrain as a B2B plant-protein ingredient producer targeting bakery and meat-substitute applications globally.

Others

• Brenntag: Global chemical and ingredients distributor serving food and nutrition customers. Comparable as an adjacent player enabling Upgrain-like ingredient manufacturers to reach enterprise B2B customers through distribution partnerships similar to Upgrain's Barentz and ABSFOOD relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Ingredion: Global food ingredients company with a broad portfolio including plant proteins, flours, and texturates. Comparable to Upgrain as a broad incumbent operating in the same B2B ingredient space with overlapping plant-protein capabilities.
• Cargill: Diversified global food and agricultural company with a sizable plant-protein and food-ingredients business serving bakery, snacks, and meat-substitute customers. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping B2B ingredient capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Upgrain