When life gives you lemons—make lemonade. Although that well-known phrase has been around a long time, it’s particularly appropriate for the topic of upcycling. It reflects a determined positive attitude to add value to something seemingly discarded.

Prepared Foods dives into this on-trend sustainability subject in an exclusive podcast with Amanda Oenbring, the Upcycled Food Association’s chief executive officer. Oenbring joined UFA this past March with experience from both EarthShare and 1% For The Planet.

By the Numbers

UFA says upcycled foods are made from ingredients that would otherwise have ended up in a food waste destination (landfill, incinerator, animal feed, etc.). The group formed in 2019 and as it celebrates its fifth anniversary, it now boasts as many as 240 members in 20 countries including about 30 food and beverage processors and approximately 60 ingredient suppliers.

The organization added certification programs in 2021 and by the end of 2023, officials say there were 170 Upcycled Certified ingredients and more than 360 Upcycled Certified finished products. Also, since 2021, UFA estimates that its members have diverted more than 1.25 billion pounds of food from waste streams.

In December 2023, UFA sold its certification program to Where Food Comes From Inc. (WFCF), a third-party verification firm in Castle Rock, Colo. In its own press release, WFCF noted that Upcycled Certified is “now one of the fastest-growing certification seals in the food industry.” Interestingly, Oenbring notes that Upcycled Certified and Non-GMO certified are commonly used together on many finished goods packages.

Oenbring cites 2021 research from The Hartman Group, which found 70% of “aware consumers” consumer were more likely to purchase a product with an Upcycled Certified certification. Last year, Informa’s New Hope Network reported that almost 40% of all shoppers and 60% of natural channel shoppers said they were willing to pay more for upcycled products. Last but not least, Mattson research finds that 95% of consumers agree that food waste is a problem.

Busy Year, Looking Ahead

Since joining UFA in early March, Oenbring has met UFA members and prospective members at Natural Products Expo West (Climate Day), Prepared Foods’ New Products Conference (sustainability panel), and WasteExpo’s annual Food Recovery Forum. Every June is “Upcycling Month” and June 24, in particular, is National Upcycling Day. Oenbring says she’ll be spending National Upcycling Day with UFA members and others at the Specialty Food Association’s Summer Fancy Food Show. Then UFA heads to Chicago in July to exhibit at the Institute of Food Technologists’ IFT First Chicago exhibition.

This fall will lead Oenbring to Climate Week NYC in September. Meanwhile, she encourages members and non-members alike to start learning more about upcycling and UFA in an upcoming webinar connection series. UFA also plans to roll out a quarterly digest of upcycling news and events.