Upcycling in the Food Industry

Why data sharing and collaboration are crucial for a more circular food system

The recent Acceleration Session of The Upcycling Community brought together experts from across Europe to address the challenges and opportunities in advancing upcycled food products through data sharing and collaboration. The agenda highlighted the importance of fostering partnerships across the supply chain, sharing best practices, and finding innovative ways to improve traceability and sustainability in the upcycled food sector. Here are the key insights and takeaways from the session. 

The meeting began with Caroline Duivenvoorden, Programme Manager Circular Agrifood & Upcycling Community Manager, sharing and overview overview of the community’s progress, including initiatives like the Position Paper on Upcycling and the Upcycled4Food Initiative. Both projects aim to enhance demand for upcycled ingredients within the food industry. As Caroline stated, “data, analysis, and sharing are becoming increasingly important in agrifood value chain.” The community has grown significantly in two years, now consisting of 43 partners from 10 countries, and is dedicated to expanding knowledge-sharing to support upcycled products.

The presentations that followed emphasized data’s critical role in upcycling. Anne van Steenhoven from Milgro, an expert in sustainable waste management, described her organization’s data-driven approach to optimizing waste streams for sustainability. Milgro’s platform currently connects 500 waste processing companies to improve logistics and resource management. However, as Anne pointed out, there are limitations in the data available: “One of the challenges is the lack of detailed data about the specific ingredients within the waste streams.” Without this information, the potential to upcycle food waste into high-value products is hindered, underscoring the need for better data systems.

Derek van Manen from Duynie Group echoed this sentiment, highlighting the regulatory complexities surrounding food contaminants like PFAS, which impact safety and marketability. As Derek noted, “While we are often hesitant to share data due to concerns about competition or regulatory uncertainty, there are also opportunities to leverage data for positive outcomes.” Derek stressed the importance of balancing transparency with competitive considerations to unlock higher value within the upcycled food chain.

Utilizing AI and data for high-value upcycling

A significant highlight was the SIDEAID project, presented by Martijntje from Wageningen Food & Biobased Research and her collaborator Eve Martinet from IFF. The project leverages AI to analyze food side streams and assess their potential applications. According to Martijntje, “this framework will help speed up the process of high-value side stream valorisation,” reducing waste while creating viable new products. The project, involving industry leaders like Unilever and Ingredion, also emphasizes data sharing to build trust and collaboration. This decision support framework offers promising technology that could bridge the gaps in data reliability and confidentiality, making high-value upcycling a reality.

Eve from IFF further expanded on this, describing her organization’s journey in developing upcycled ingredients and the challenges they encountered. As Eve explained, “Cost competitiveness and proving sustainability benefits have been significant hurdles, particularly in demonstrating that new ingredients are both environmentally and economically viable.” Eve’s experience highlights how data-sharing platforms like SIDEAID can help the industry overcome these hurdles by using pre-competitive frameworks that promote transparency and trust.

Standards as a Key to Consistency and Trust

Participants from NEN, the Royal Netherlands Standardization Institute, and GS1 offered insights into how standardized methods could increase data reliability and encourage more stakeholders to join the upcycling movement. Jeske Bleeker from NEN emphasized the importance of industry standards in influencing government policy, stating, “If you want to influence government, you can always start with building a standard.” By ensuring data consistency and accountability, standards could help establish credibility in the upcycled food market, especially for claims related to circularity and environmental impact.

Bram Broeks from GS1 emphasized the role of transparency in the upcycled market, suggesting that data-sharing platforms can foster this. Bram highlighted the potential for “top-down global commitment,” driven by real-world use cases to build value from the ground up. His remarks reflect the group’s consensus that a dual approach — combining top-down standardization with bottom-up proof-of-value projects — is essential to long-term success.

Moving Forward: A Call for Collaboration

The meeting concluded with a call to action, urging participants to collaborate and build an inclusive ecosystem that supports upcycled products. Caroline summarized the session, noting that while data and standardization are crucial, the most immediate need is cross-industry partnerships to overcome logistical barriers and enhance commercial viability.  

Through initiatives like the Upcycled 4 Food Initiative and SIDEAID, The Upcycling Community aims to establish a robust framework that makes data-sharing and upcycling more accessible and sustainable for companies across the supply chain. Collaboration among industry, regulatory bodies, and technology providers is essential for driving this mission forward. As Klaas-Jan Zuidam of Unilever noted, “You can collect a lot of data, but it’s useless if you don’t know how that data is obtained.” This sentiment underscores the need for verified, standardized data in ensuring that upcycled products meet both regulatory and consumer expectations.

Join us on this journey

As the Upcycling Community continues to grow, the path to a circular economy becomes clearer. Join us in building a more sustainable future by supporting the adoption of upcycled ingredients and food products across the industry. By working together on data transparency, regulatory alignment, and innovative partnerships, we can make upcycling the norm rather than the exception. Let’s collaborate, innovate, and drive meaningful change in the food industry’s journey toward a circular, sustainable future. Join the Upcycling Community and become part of the solution.

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