EverGrain Ingredients’ barley protein and fiber solutions score upcycled certification

24 Feb 2022 --- The entire portfolio of upcycled barley protein and fiber ingredients from AB InBev company EverGrain Ingredients has received the Upcycled Food Association’s (UFA) certification. 

Pegged as “the first-of-its-kind mark,” the certification, which launched last year, allows food and beverage manufacturers that use the ingredients to place the claim on its packaging.

The ingredient company upcycles the brewer’s spent barley into nutritious, sustainable proteins and fibers.

“We started our journey in 2013, long before upcycling was a trend, with the goal of unlocking every grain of potential in our barley to have a positive impact on people and planet,” says Gregory Belt, EverGrain CEO. 

Upcycled barley milk concept by EverGrain Ingredients (Credit: EverGrain Ingredients).“We are transforming spent barley – what we, at EverGrain, call saved barley – into one of the world’s most sustainable, accessible, plentiful sources of plant-based protein and fiber.”

This summer, EverGrain is due to come online with a scaled facility out of Missouri, US, producing EverPro, a soluble plant-based protein that is highly compatible with pea protein. 

Upcycled nutrition for plant-based products
EverGrain began with a strategy to utilize barley to its full potential. EverPro’s nutritional profile is one of high, bioavailable protein, very low carbohydrates, just a half gram of sugar per 100 g and free of-from cholesterol, soy and dairy.

Additionally, EverGrain has achieved the Non-GMO Project Verification, the only third-party non-GMO verification for food ingredients. 

The company is also exploring plant-based protein and fiber ingredients that can be used in meat alternatives, breads and pasta.

“As the world’s largest brewing company, AB InBev depends on high-quality barley from thriving communities and healthy ecosystems to brew our beers. Every year, 1.4 million metric tons are leftover, or ‘spent’ through the brewing process,” explains Ties Soeters, EverGrain chief product owner.

“Given the global scale, protein quality and market advantage, the team at EverGrain saw a unique opportunity to unleash the power of upcycled nutrition to meet the increasing global demand for plant-based products.”

This upcycled certification comes as consumers begin actively seeking products that carry the certification as a way to make an impact on the planet with their food and beverage purchases. 

Take Two, an Upcycled Certified barley milk made from EverPro, is one such product available. 

Take Two is one example of an Upcycled Certified barley milk made from EverPro (Credit: Take Two).Tackling food waste
The UFA recently announced that demand for the certification has already exceeded original projections. The 141 packaged goods and ingredients with this designation are projected to prevent more than 703 million pounds of food waste annually.

UFA’s founder and CEO Turner Wyatt says having companies that can leverage their size and scale and innovate from within enables consumers to accelerate the impact that can be made with accessible choices.

“The products and ingredients that have gone through the certification thus far span food, cosmetics, personal care, and pet food, and are created by both small start-ups and global legacy brands. This represents a major shift in our consumer product and retail environments because, for the first time, consumers can help to prevent food waste every time they walk into a grocery store.”

Edited by Gaynor Selby

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