Definition: In 2020, experts from Harvard Law School, Drexel University, World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, ReFED, and other institutions met to officially define “upcycled food” for use in policy, research, certification, and more. Their approved definition reads: “Upcycled foods use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment.”

Upcycling by the Numbers: As of this May, the Upcycled Food Association shares that …

… there are 421 Upcycled Certified^® products and ingredients

… there are 260 Upcycled Food Association members (including processors, ingredient suppliers and retailers)

… there have been 1.6 billion pounds of food diverted through Upcycled Certified^® since May 2021

… there was a +118% Increase of Upcycled Certified^® products and ingredients in 2022 compared to 2021

Market Size: Allied Market Research (AMR) valued the global upcycled food products market $53.7 billion in 2021. AMR projects the market to reach $97 billion in related sales by 2031, growing at a 6.2% CAGR from 2022 to 2031.