Upcycle Foods Co.
Upcycle Foods Co. turns surplus ingredients like brewers' spent grain into better-for-you food products, headquartered in Minneapolis.
The Story
Upcycle Foods Co. began with a simple observation: food makers were discarding nutritious, high-quality ingredients while shoppers were looking for more sustainable options. The company set out to recover value from those overlooked supply streams, starting with brewers’ spent grain and turning it into better-for-you food products.
Instead of treating byproducts as waste, the founders built a process that preserves taste and nutrition while closing loops in the food system. That early focus on spent grain became the foundation for a broader ingredient platform, letting the company expand into teas, cocoa substitutes, syrups, purées, fruits, and other upcycled inputs.
As the business grew, it moved beyond its own products into ingredient solutions for other food and beverage brands. The company now combines product development, technology, and commercialization support to help partners create upcycled offerings that meet consumer demand without sacrificing flavor or function.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Upcycle Foods Co. still reflects its scrappy origins: practical problem-solving, tight collaboration with brewers and food manufacturers, and a belief that sustainability and profitability can move forward together. The team continues to look for new supply chains and new product formats that can pull more nutrition from what would otherwise be wasted.
Key Facts & Metrics
Company Timeline
2011 — Origin in UCLA homebrewing
Dan Kurzrock and Jordan Schwartz started experimenting with brewers’ spent grain while homebrewing beer at UCLA, turning surplus grain into food products.
2019 — Co-founding Upcycled Food Association
Kurzrock became a co-founding board officer of the Upcycled Food Association and Foundation, helping create certification and industry standards for upcycled foods.
2022 — Scaling Upcycled Certified products
Upcycled Foods, Inc. reported growth in certified upcycled products and diversion impact, supporting brands with ingredient solutions and commercialization expertise.