Consumers are passionate about doing what they can to reduce their environmental impact and they expect companies to do the same—as such, a variety of waste-repurposing food products are emerging from established brands and start-ups alike. These products are helping to give new life to goods that would otherwise be wasted, including everything from industry by-products to so-called "ugly" fruits and vegetables. A variety of upcycled ingredients can now be found in everything from snack bars and blended burgers to brownie mixes, offering an eco-friendly approach to a variety of familiar food products.
While the majority of prepackaged products are sold in their finished format, some provide flexibility. Takay Foods' uses wasted tropical fruit to create Ready-to-Blend Ice Cream & Smoothie Mixes that can either be blended or frozen for a nourishing treat.
20 Waste-Repurposing Food Products
From Upcycled Pulp Burgers to Waste-Reducing Smoothie Mixes:
Laura McQuarrie — Jun 29, 2019 — Lifestyle
20
Crunchy Upcycled Plantain Snacks
The Barnana Plantain Chips are Fried in Coconut Oil
19
Defatted Sunflower Seed Snacks
Plantarian's Snacks Deliver High Protein with Its Special Flour
18
Waste-Reducing Fruit Snacks
The 'Barnana' Snacks are Made from Imperfect Bananas
17
Waste-Reducing Frozen Pizzas
Scraps Frozen Foods Favors Imperfect and Underutilized Produce
16
Beer-Based Pizza Crusts
'Bizza' is Pizza Dough Made with Spent Grain, Beer Wort and Beer Yeast
15
Repurposed Produce Condiments
These Condiments Give New Life to Rejected Fruit & Vegetables
14
Juice Pulp Granolas
Pulp Pantry Makes Grain-Free, Healthy Granola with Fruit and Vegetable Pulp
13
Upcycled Single-Ingredient Flours
Glean's Vegetable Flour Saves Produce from Going to Waste
12
Dehydrated Plant-Based Chips
Groung Rules Offers Nutrient-Dense Snacks That are Sustainable
11
Canned Protein Crisps
Tyson Foods' Fully Recyclable ¡YAPPAH! Snacks Fight Food Waste
10
Waste-Reducing Banana Bars
Snact's Snack Bars Celebrate Ugly Bananas and Compostable Packaging
9
Upcycled Seafood Cakes
SecondsFirst Makes Fresh Fish Cakes from Repurposed Ingredients
8
Upcycled Pulp Burgers
Pressed Juicery and Mendocino Farms Make Vegetable Patties from Juice Pulp
7
Repurposed Relish Condiments
The Sweet, Spicy & Sour 'Rescued Relish' is Made from Excess Produce
6
Waste-Repurposing Mushrooms
Leep Foods Cultivates Superfood Mushrooms with Fruit-Based Waste
5
Upcycled Gluten-Free Brownies
Hudson Valley Cold Pressed Oils' Brownie Mix Uses Sunflower Meal
4
Crunchy Chocolate Fruit Snacks
The Barnana Organic Chocolate Banana Brittle is Nutritiously Tasty
3
Repurposed Protein Cups
Planetarians Repurposes Food Waste, Plus Addresses Obesity and Nutrition
2
Waste-Reducing Smoothie Mixes
Takay Foods' Ready-to-Blend Mixes Make High-Protein Treats & Drinks
1
Tropical Dehydrated Fruit Snacks
The Barnana Organic Tropical Chewy Banana Bites are Paleo
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AI-Powered Recipe Tools
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Plastic Waste Ice Creams
Eleonora Ortolani Proposes a Different Way to Recycle Plastic Waste
Low-Value Plastic Recycling Methods
Ashaya Aims to Reuse Non-Recyclable Plastic Packaging
Upcycled Grape Drinks
Joni's Non-Alcoholic Beverages Repurpose Pressed Juice from Unripened Grapes
Wrapperless Snack Bars
One Good Thing Packages Its Products in an Edible, All-Natural Film
Paper-Made Frozen Food Packaging
PACK'D is Introducing New Recyclable Paper Bags
Upcycled Ingredient Ice Creams
Salt & Straw's Upcycled Foods Series Rescues Wasted Food
Hyper-Fast Countertop Composters
The Vitamix FoodCycler Eco 5 Reduces Organic Waste by 90%
Upcycled Fruit Skincare
'My Skin Feels' Repurposes Olive Oil, Ketchup & Mandarin Juice Waste
Vegan Hydroponic Nutrients
Re-Nuble Uses Food By-Products to Create Vegan Plant Nutrients
Waste-Reducing Produce Stickers
Grey Colombia & Makro's Stickers on Produce Suggest Recipes
Sustainability-Driven Fashion Campaigns
pitusa's Sustainability Campaign Focuses on Reducing Waste
Smashable Biodegradable Cups
GaeaStar Develops a New Cup From Only Three Ingredients
Edible Snack Skins
Foodberry Creates Edible, Plant-Based Coatings Inspired by Fruit Skins & Peels
Pink Breakfast Burgers
The Actual Pink Breakfast Burger is Made with Berries, Seeds & Lentils
Non-Coated Sugarcane Packaging
'SupraPulp' from W-Cycle is Biodegradable Packaging from Sugarcane
Upcycled Dried Fruit Snacks
The Ugly Company Boats Healthy Recipes That Curb Food Waste, as Well
Soft Sustainable Coolers
Out of the Woods Makes Reusable Bags Made from Supernatural Paper
Fiber-Based Food Packaging
Hinojosa Unveils the New 'Foodservice' Packaging in Three Formats
Eco-Friendly Consumable Packaging
This Biodegradable Composite Packaging is Transparent and Edible
Recycled Plastic Bottle Campaigns
Coca-Cola Promotes the Toss In, Take Out Initiative
Cardboard Cosmetics Refill Pouches
Freshly Refills Reduce Cosmetics Industry Waste
Refillable Beauty Brands
Maya's Thoughtfully Designed Cosmetics Combat Plastic Waste
Filled Cacaofruit Bites
UPPA Creatively Repurposes a Commonly Discarded Ingredient
Oat Drink Powders
Overherd's Oat M*lk Powder Reduces Packaging & Food Waste
Compostable Sugarcane Containers
Eco-Products' WorldView Containers are Foodsafe and Microwavable
Upcycled Cheese Powders
Kerry's Upcycled Cheese Powder is Environmentally-Friendly and Flavorful
Upcycled Circular Design Products
Cyrc Designs Expansive Products with Sustainable Themes
Plastic Snack Packaging Reductions
KP Snacks Flow Wrapping Process Has Been Updated
Sugarcane Cosmetics Packagings
'Bulldog' Uses Sugarcane Bagasse to Reduce its Carbon Footprint
Food Waste-Reducing Snacks
Kazoo Snacks Introduces Upcycled Corn Germ to Its Tortilla Chip Recipe
Bio-Based Paper Packaging
Covestro's Partially Plant-Based Coating Boosts Recyclability
Upcycled Tortilla Beers
Chica Mexicana is Made with Imperfect Tortillas to Fight Food Waste
Compostable Food Packaging Brands
Shanghai Timeco Industrial Uses Sugarcane Bagasse for Packaging
Edible Plant-Based Wrappers
Xampla Makes Edible, Biodegradable Plant Protein Packaging
Indigenous Ingredient-Celebrating Products
Jungle Kitchen Just Launched a New Vegan Food Range
Upcycled Cacao Bites
Gudrun's Cacaofruit Bites Repurpose Ingredients Destined to Go to Waste
Reusable Produce Seals
Food Huggers Keep Sliced Vegetables and Open Containers Fresh for Longer
Compostable Foodservice Packaging
The Eco-Products GreenStripe Line Has New Bags and Wraps
AI-Powered Food Waste Reduction
SnapSnack Uses AI To Turn Ingredients Into Meals
Upcycled Ice Cream Desserts
Salt & Straw's Pints of the Month Help to Reduce Food Waste
Reusable Packaging Initiatives
PepsiCo Has Announced a New Packaging Goal
Food Waste Bioplastics Factories
Agrorenew is Transforming Watermelon Waste into Bioplastics
Upcycled Ingredient Breads
Kroger Simple Truth Upcycled Bread Has 10% ReGrained SuperGrain+
PCR Soil Packaging
Back to the Roots Creates Soil Packaging from Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic
Edible Construction Cements
Japanese Scientists Produce Edible Cement from Food Waste
Sustainable Produce Packaging
These Cascades Eco-Friendly Produce Baskets are Recycled
Renewable Circular Trash Cans
Mill Offers a New Way of Circular Food with a Shrunken Technology
Intricate Food Waste Teahouses
Mitsubishi Jisho Design Uses Food Waste Materials for Its Pavilion
Upcycled Oat Protein Cereals
Seven Sundays & SunOpta Created a Cereal Line with OatGold
Paper-Based Yogurt Cups
Nancy’s Probiotic Foods Sustainably Packages Single-Serve Oatmilk Yogurt
Paper-Packaged Snack Chips
Walkers Baked Multipacks Ditch Plastic in Favor of Paper Alternatives
Compostable Foodservice Packaging
The Better Earth Farmer’s Fiber Collection is Being Expanded
Freshness-Maximizing Microgreens Packaging
Upward Farms Introduced New Packs for its Microgreens
Sustainable Food Material Sneakers
ID.Eight Brings 90s-Inspired Sneakers with Food Materials
Pet Store Recycling Initiatives
The Pet Supplies Plus Recycle Program Features TerraCycle
Food Scrap Recycling Systems
The Next Generation Mill is Faster, Smarter and Quieter
Recyclable Windowed Packaging
Coveris Debuts the New Packaging for Simply Lunch’s Stir Me Up Range
Waste-Reducing Haircare Systems
Duo Haircare Pairs Powder-Based Products & Refillable Bottles
Upcycled Mushroom Pestos
Smallhold Mushroom Pesto Gives New Life to Imperfect Mushrooms
Recyclable Kid-Friendly Meals
Little Dish Launches Its New Range in 85% Wood Fibre Packs
Sustainable Packaging Brands
Flourish® Utilizes Recycled Content and Safe Forestry Practices
Sustainable Frozen Treat Packaging
Metsä Board Re-Designed its Ice Cream Packaging
Health-Focused Fruity Smoothies
Evive Recently Launched the Nutrient-Packed Smoothie Pops
Compostable Rice Waste Packaging
TIPA Packaging is Launching a New Solution in the UK
Paper-Made Drink Mix Packaging
This Fairfood Powdered Oat Drink Features the Sonoco GREENCAN®
Innovative Biobased Fabrication Brands
Algreen Creates Bio-Based Polyurethane Out of Food Waste
Sustainable Cereal Packaging
Weetabix Now Features Fully Recyclable Packaging
Recyclable Paper Packaging Initiatives
Walmart is Swapping to Recyclable Packaging on All Channels
Sustainable Compact Blenders
Open Funk's re:Mix Kitchen Blender Boasts Practicality & Convenience
Eco-Friendly Burger Packaging
GreenDustries' PleatPak Packaging Blends Sustainability and Function
Recycled Fruit Bags
Superfresh Growers Introduces a Collection of Recycled Apple and Pear Bags
Upcycled Protein Shakes
REBBL Protein Shakes Use Upcycled Certified Non-GMO Barley
Plant-Based Chicken Alternatives
Recreate Foods Makes Nuggets, Filets & More for Foodservice
Recyclable Bagged Mocktails
Walton Wood Farm's Gin Twist Cocktail Mix is Fully Recyclable
Dessert-Like Plant Protein Drinks
REBBL's Protein Beverages Capture the Flavors of Cookies & Pie
Upcycled Fruit Skincare
Pulpe De Vie Specializes in Making Upcycled Skincare from Downgraded Fruit
Health-Promoting Superfood Blends
Kuli Kuli Foods Debuts Its New Organic Superfood Blends
Upcycled Plastic Construction Companies
'Kubik' Uses Plastic Waste as a Sustainable Material
Microwave-Ready Snack Products
The Individually Wrapped Veggies Made Great Products are Flavorful
Paper-Packaged Popped Snacks
Snack A Jacks Multipacks are Ditching Virgin Plastic Material
Sustainable Edible Pouches
Cannabis Brand Wyld Launches a Fully Compostable Pouch for Edibles
Upcycled Stalk Pastas
Supplant Pasta is Made with the Grain and Stalk of the Wheat Plant
Blend-at-Home Smoothie Boxes
BlendBox Helps to Make Healthy Eating Easier for Busy People
Imperfect Produce Subscriptions
Odd Bunch Delivers Oddly Shaped Produce to Consumers' Doors
Compostable Foodservice Packaging
These Sabert Pulp Food Containers are Convenient
Youth-Focused Prebiotic Products
Beech-Nut® Launches a New Range of Prebiotic Jars and Pouches
Upcycled Meat Alternatives
Migros Crafts Alt Meat from Spent Brewer’s Grain
Plant-Based Snack Bar Wrappers
BAR-U-EAT Compostable Bar Wrappers are BPI-Certified
Climate-Friendly Cupcake Mixes
Renewal Mill's Vanilla Cake & Cupcake Mix Fights Climate Change
Upcycled Plant-Powered Yogurts
Kern Tec Makes Plant-Based Yogurt Alternatives from Apricot Nuts
Waste-Reducing Beanless Coffees
Prefer Makes Bean-Free Coffee from Food Waste Like Soy and Bread
Sustainably Constructed Garbage Cans
Vipp's New Rubbish Bun is Made from Recycled Materials
Sustainable Supplement Packaging
This New Touchstone Essentials Packaging is Made with Bio-PPE
Retail Food Preparation Stations
Urban Eat Debuts a Smart Retail Solution for its Food-to-Go Range
Eco-Conscious Juice Boxes
Simple Times Mixers Supports Curbside Recycling with its New Packaging
Snackable Acai Bowls
Clean Juice's Ingredients Boost Monetary & Nutritional Value for Guests
Charitable Zero-Waste Meals
Good Food Project Turns Excess Food into Meals for the Food Insecure
Waste-Reducing Culinary Starters
The Spare Food Co.'s Spare Starter Uses Surplus Farm Produce
Rescued Fruit Spirits
Trash & Treasure Spirits Get Flavor from Creatively Repurposed Ingredients
Functional Iced Coffee Pucks
Blender Bites' 1-Step Frappés Make Nutritious Iced Coffee Drinks
Upcycled Fabric Home Goods
Sunbrella ReMade Items are Made from Upcycled Sunbrella Fabrics
Reusable Cafe Packaging
SFU Reduces Waste with Tap to Reuse and Smart Return Bin Tech
Upcycled Watermelon Waste Chutneys
Fresh Direct Watermelon Rind Chutney Combats Against Food Waste
Texturized Chickpea Protein Burgers
These Vegan Burgers Are Made With a Unique Source Ingredient
Upcycled Grapeseed Flours
Salute Santé!'s Flours Repurpose Leftovers from an Oil-Making Process
Revised QSR Packaging Policies
YUM Brands Unveils a New Packaging Policy for its Restaurants
Food-Grade rPET Packaging
These Novolex Recyclable Food Containers Have 10% Recycled Plastic
Banana Fiber Apparel
Interloop Limited and Simply Suzette Launch the Unpeeled Collection
Meat-Free Frozen Appetizers
These Plant Up Plant-Based Frozen Appetizers are Arriving in Canada
Food Waste-Combatting Smart Stickers
Grey Colombia Unveils a Set of Progressive Produce Stickers
Frozen-to-Fresh Poke Bowls
Konscious Foods' Plant-Based Poke Bowls Make Quick Meals
Cultivated Chicken Breakfast Sandwiches
UPSIDE Foods Unveiled Its Next Generation of Products
Upcycled Vegan Meats
Planetarians Makes Vegan Meat Using Just Two Upcycled Ingredients
Plant-Derived Smash Burgers
This Delicious Smash Burger is Crafted From Peas and Fava Beans
Reduced Sugar Juices
Better Juice Achieves Sugar Reduction in Fruit Juices
Ocean-Saving Dairy-Free Milkshakes
The Organic Ocean Blue Banana Shake Helps Fight Plastic Waste
Sustainability-Focused Seafood Initiatives
Hailia Has Expanded its Use of Fish Byproducts
Eco Meal Program Initiatives
The Home Chef Food Rescue Program Redirects Surplus and Waste
Beet-Based Burger Patties
PerfectSeason Beetroot Patties Come in Packs of Two
Revamped Plant-Based Foods
Jack & Annie’s is Introducing Improved Recipes for Frozen Options
Protein-Laden Probiotic Smoothies
These Delicious Smoothies Contain Abundant Active Cultures
Organic Plantain Scoops
Barnana's New Plantain Snack is Its First Upcycled Certified Product
Ready-to-Blend Smoothie Kits
'SmoothieBox' Offers Premade or Customizable Smoothie Kits
Dehydrated Plant-Based Meals
Farm to Summit Packages Nourishing Meals in Omnidegradable Bags
Mushroom-Derived Hybrid Meats
Mush Foods Upcycles Food Waste to Grow Nutritious Mycelium Protein
Customizable Mycelium Mixes
Mush Foods' 50Cut Mushroom Root Blends Enhance Restaurant Dishes
Upcycled Sports Nutrition Powders
FYTA Makes Sports Nutrition Powders from Upcycled Barley Protein
Cost-Conscious Jackfruit Products
Biff's Creates Competitively Priced Alternatives to Alt Meat
Delectable Veggie Burgers
These Frozen Burgers Are Offered In Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Varieties
Sustainable Imperfect Groceries
Spud Delivers Unique Foods to the Homes of Eco-Conscious Consumers
Crunchy Veggie Burgers
Dr. Praeger’s Two New Burgers Cook to Golden, Crispy Perfection
Fakeaway Grocery Store Products
These Iceland Foods Products Enable Restaurant-Inspired Meals
Upcycled Baking Mixes
Bake Me Healthy Nourishes with Upcycled Certified, Plant-Based Mixes
Pet Product Takeback Services
PetSmart Unveils the New Sustainable Pet Product Takeback Programs