Where recycling involves the destruction of waste in order to create something new, upcycling is about creatively repurposing discarded items in their current state to create something new and even more valuable.

We upcycle the steeped grains from breweries to create nutritious crackers, bites and bars that are delicious, good for you and even better for the environment.

How do you upcycle grains?

When we saw how much waste was involved in the beer brewing process, we had… a grain wave! We decided to use the grains from the beer-brewing process and upcycle them into our tasty and healthy snacks.

When making beer, brewers steep malted barley to give beer its body and flavour. The resulting liquid is used to make beer, and the leftover ‘spent’ grains – which are usually discarded – are brimming with nutritional value. So, we rescue ‘em.

We mix the spent grains with other natural ingredients to produce our plant-based, GMO-free snacks right here in Wellington, New Zealand.

The grains we use are sustainably sourced from local breweries. Upcycling is smart AND scrumptious.

What is the environmental impact of upcycling?

Every year, ⅓ of food produced globally is wasted. That’s $940 billion dollars worth of food thrown away annually. In New Zealand alone, 500,000 tonnes of food goes to landfill every year and that rotting food contaminates our earth's soil, water and air.

BUT! It’s not all doom and gloom. When we upcycle our EXISTING resources, we reduce the costs and negative impacts of production and our reliance on new resources. Also, barley plays an important role in the global economy as a common and resilient grain that’s easy to cultivate. Barley is here to stay, so it’s our mission to make the most of it.

The Upcycling Impact:

• Minimises waste
• Reduces pollution
• Decreases emissions
• Supports local industries
• Conserves global resources AND
• Inspires innovation and creativity!

Upcycling is a no-grainer!

But… Do your snacks taste like beer?

While we’ll always enjoy a cheeky pint or two, we’re not so sure about beer-flavoured food. But have no fear! Spent grains add a wholesome, nutty and sweet flavour to our crackers, bites and bars.

And in case you were wondering, it’s the liquid the brewers take after steeping that has alcohol content – not the spent grains we use in our products – making them a healthy and nutritious snack for children, too.

What are the nutritional benefits of using spent grains?

The term ‘spent’ implies that the grains have been used, and unable to be used again. It turns out, these leftover grains are BURSTING with fibre, protein, and a great source of minerals, vitamins and trace amino acids.

And did we mention they’re GMO-free, plant-based, made entirely with natural ingredients and 100% sugar-free too?

Why the Upcycled Grain “Project?”

We chose to call ourselves a project because we know that our goal to minimise waste and reduce reliance on new resources will be an ever-evolving mission – and we need YOUR help!

It’s easy to take part right in the project – join us on Facebook, Instagram, subscribe to our newsletter or try out our delicious range today.

How can I take action?

Whether you choose to support local businesses like ours or create a closed-loop waste system in your own home – reducing food waste is one of the easiest and most effective things you can start doing today to protect the environmental future of our planet.

Thanks to our upcycled crackers, bites and bars, saving the world never tasted so good.