# Upcycled Frozen Desserts Renewal Mill and Salt & Straw Created Upcycled Vegan Ice Cream By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2022-01-11 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/upcycled-vegan-ice-cream References: [specialtyfood](https://www.specialtyfood.com/news/article/renewal-mill-salt-straw-create-upcycled-vegan-ice-cream/) & [saltandstraw](https://saltandstraw.com/)  Upcycled ingredient supplier Renewal Mill teamed up with small-batch ice cream company Salt & Straw to create an upcycled vegan ice cream flavor. The chef-driven Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcake ice cream flavor is a decadent and sustainable frozen dessert that launched at the kickoff of 2022, and it can be found at Salt & Straw’s 25 locations, as well as online until the end of January as part of Salt & Straw’s annual Veganuary campaign. This frozen dessert is made with Renewal Mill’s Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix, plus salted caramel frosting and dark chocolate brownie cupcakes, which are crumbled into fleur de sel-spiked oat ice cream. The upcycled brownie mix is made with organic okara flour, which makes the most of a by-product from the process of making soy milk. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.0/10 - Popularity: 39% | Activity: 70% | Freshness: 11% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Upcycled Desserts:** Renewal Mill and Salt & Straw's upcycled vegan ice cream demonstrates the potential for creating sustainable and delicious desserts from food waste. - **Chef-driven Frozen Treats:** Salt & Straw's collaboration with Renewal Mill showcases the potential for small-batch ice cream companies to leverage unique ingredient partnerships and differentiated flavors. - **Sustainable Veganuary Campaigns:** Salt & Straw's annual Veganuary campaign, which features the upcycled vegan ice cream flavor, highlights how companies can attract customers with limited-time, eco-friendly offerings. ### Who This Affects Most - **Food Waste Reduction:** Renewal Mill's upcycling process demonstrates a potential innovation opportunity for companies looking to create sustainable food products using food waste as an input. - **Small-batch Ice Cream:** Salt & Straw's success in creating unique and eco-friendly flavors with partner brands like Renewal Mill could inspire other small-batch ice cream companies to explore similar partnerships. - **Vegan Food:** The popularity of Salt & Straw's Veganuary campaign and their upcycled vegan ice cream flavor highlight the potential for vegan food companies to expand their customer base by offering sustainable, plant-based products. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Upcycled Holiday Ice Creams](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/salt-straws-holiday-series.md) - [Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dairy-free-decadence-series.md) - [Vegan-Friendly Frozen Desserts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2025-dairy-free-decadence-series.md) - [Decadent Vegan Frozen Treats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dairyfree-decadence-series.md) - [Upcycled Peanut Butter Cookies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peanut-butter-cookies.md) - [Climate-Friendly Cupcake Mixes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vanilla-cake-cupcake-mix.md) - [Chocolate Almondmilk Desserts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plant-based-frozen-dessert.md) - [Plant-Based Dessert Hybrids](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plant-de-creme.md) - [Oat Milk-Based Vegan Desserts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vegan-frozen-dessert-line.md)