Foodvalley lands Gelderland, Laudes grants for upcycled food push

What's the deal? FoodvalleyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has secured grant funding for the second phase of its UPcycled4Food programme, which tests ingredients recovered from food-industry side streams in mainstream products. Backing comes from the Province of Gelderland and continued support from the Laudes FoundationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.

Why now? The programme began in 2025 by identifying barriers to food upcycling. Its second phase, running from June 2026 to May 2027, shifts towards generating independent evidence for formulation, sourcing, and commercial decisions.

What's the endgame? Working groups are testing upcycled ingredients across four categories: cookies and biscuits, bread and rolls, blended dairy, and blended meat. Foodvalley is assessing strategies that replace conventional raw materials partially or wholly with upcycled alternatives.

What could go wrong? Turning a low-value side stream into a food-grade ingredient is rarely cost-free. Separation, drying, milling, or fermentation can consume substantial energy and water, and inconsistent moisture, particle size, or colour can disrupt established high-volume production lines.

The value case therefore depends on the complete route from original process to finished ingredient, not the source material alone. Manufacturers, retailers, foodservice businesses, and ingredient suppliers are participating in the work.

The signal: Foodvalley's second phase reflects a shift in upcycling from proving a material exists to proving it can compete. Food businesses want evidence on process time, shelf life, and sensory performance before the environmental argument can win.

Read more: in-food.co.uk