George May and Jessica Folkerts of bio-bean explain how spent coffee grounds have moved from a food waste problem to become a valuable resource and raw material.

It should come as no surprise that food waste is a big, global problem and it is passed time to do something about it. The world's food waste accounts for 8% of our total global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG)1; if food waste were a country, it would be the third highest emitter of GHG2. According to Project Drawdown, reducing food waste is the single most effective solution to climate change3.

Thankfully, there are several innovative movements to address the staggering 30% of all food produced globally going to waste4. From creative distribution and sharing, to upcycling and circular models, there are many opportunities to make a positive choice quickly and simply for sustainable, scaled impact. From peels and past-its-prime fruit, more manufacturers are getting creative, and more upcycled food start-ups are beginning to appear on the scene.

Barnana upcycles organic bananas that are too ‘ugly’ for retail sales, transforming them into potassium packed snacks. Toast Ale brews award-winning craft beers from surplus fresh bread rather than virgin barley. WTRMLN WTR turns aesthetically rejected watermelons into refreshing, cold-pressed, natural juices, while Rubies in the Rubble makes delicious condiments from surplus ingredients that would otherwise go to waste.

Underpinning this upcycling trend in food and beverage ingredients is the demanding and discerning consumer. In fact, according to Mattson, a food innovation and development firm, 95% of consumers want to do their part to reduce food waste5, and in 2019 more than half (57%) of consumers were aiming to buy more food and beverages made with upcycled ingredients in the next year6.

With investors showing increasing interest in upcycled food concepts 7, the Upcycled Food Association recently announced a formal definition of the term, specific to food; the Association's logo is beginning to appear on consumer goods, suggesting that the trend is set to continue.

bio-bean 的 George May 和 Jessica Folkerts 解释了废咖啡渣如何从食物浪费问题转变为宝贵的资源和原材料。

食物浪费是一个全球性的大问题，对此采取行动已经是时候了，这一点不足为奇。世界上的食物垃圾占我们全球温室气体排放总量 (GHG) 1 的8% ；如果食物垃圾是一个国家，它将是温室气体2的第三大排放国。根据 Project Drawdown，减少食物浪费是应对气候变化的最有效的解决方案3。

值得庆幸的是，有几项创新运动可以解决全球生产的所有食品中有 30% 会被浪费的惊人问题4。从创意分发和共享，到升级再造和循环模式，有很多机会可以快速而简单地做出积极的选择，以实现可持续的规模化影响。从果皮到过时的水果，越来越多的制造商开始发挥创意，更多升级改造的食品初创企业开始出现在现场。

Barnana 对零售时太“丑”的有机香蕉进行升级改造，将它们转化为含钾零食。Toast Ale 用多余的新鲜面包而不是初榨大麦酿造屡获殊荣的精酿啤酒。WTRMLN WTR 将美学上被拒绝的西瓜变成清爽、冷压的天然果汁，而碎石中的红宝石则用多余的原料制作美味的调味品，否则会浪费掉。

支持这种食品和饮料成分升级的趋势是要求苛刻和挑剔的消费者。事实上，根据食品创新和开发公司 Mattson 的说法，95% 的消费者希望尽自己的一份力量减少食物浪费5，而在 2019 年，超过一半 (57%) 的消费者打算购买更多的食品和饮料。明年6 .

随着投资者对升级改造食品的概念越来越感兴趣7，升级改造食品协会最近宣布了该术语的正式定义，专门针对食品；该协会的标志开始出现在消费品上，表明这一趋势将继续下去。