Upcycled Foods, Kroger launch private-label upcycled bread

Upcycled Foods Inc. has launched the first upcycled bread items co-developed with Kroger for its Simple Truth store brand. Designed from scratch, the innovative upcycled bread line includes two SKUs that tap into consumers’ demand for delicious, nutritious, and sustainable food options.

The new Simple Truth upcycled items—Seeded Multigrain Bread and Multigrain Quinoa Bread—are rolling out to approximately 1,800 store bakery departments across 18 retail banners of The Kroger Co. around the country.

Ten percent of the ingredients in both Upcycled Certified breads is ReGrained SuperGrain+, UP Inc.’s flagship ingredient. ReGrained SuperGrain+ contributes unique flavor depth, naturally fortified nutritional attributes, and an authentic sustainability story.

The announcement coincided with three environmental events during April: Food Waste Prevention Week, Earth Day and Stop Food Waste Day. The food waste events are designed to draw attention to the fact that as much as 40% of the global food supply is wasted each year. Fortunately,  52% of consumers are increasingly aware of how their food choices affect the environment, according to the International Food Information Council.

Choosing products that are made with upcycled ingredients is an easy way for consumers to make an immediate impact at the point of sale. In fact, 57% of shoppers indicate that they intend to buy more upcycled food, the “Upcycling: The Opportunity” report found in 2021, and one in three are specifically interested in bakery products made from upcycled ingredients, according to Puratos “Taste Tomorrow” research.

“Upcycled ingredient innovation is one of the most actionable solutions for food brands to be more sustainable. We are thrilled to help catalyze Kroger’s efforts to bring their Zero Hunger | Zero Waste commitment to life on store shelves,” says Dan Kurzrock, founder and CEO of UP, Inc. “These breads win against category incumbents on flavor alone, giving consumers an accessible opportunity to make an impact with every purchase.”

Source: Upcycled Foods Inc.