Kerry — a sustainable nutrition company — has announced its sponsorship of The Kerry Upcycled Food Foundation Fellowship. This marks the second research fellowship initiated by the Upcycled Food Foundation (UFF) that is dedicated to supporting this evidence-based industry and educating consumers about the environmental and social benefits of upcycled foods. The foundation is the non-profit subsidiary of the Upcycled Food Association, the only food industry association dedicated to catalyzing the upcycled economy to prevent food loss and waste across the entire supply chain.

"At Kerry, we are committed to creating a world of sustainable nutrition. Our new partnership with the Upcycled Food Foundation and our sponsorship of The Kerry Upcycled Food Foundation Fellowship is just one way we are investing in the next generation of sustainable food solutions,” says Oliver Kelly, chief executive officer of Kerry North America. The research fellowship advances understanding of the environmental impact, market, consumer perceptions, technical opportunities and overall potential of upcycled food. 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. 

“Kerry’s sponsorship of this fellowship has enabled more fellows to enter the program, which will provide invaluable insights that can be applied to industry practices and consumer messaging, and thus allow us to reduce food waste through upcycled food,” says Angie Crone, chief executive officer of the Upcycled Food Association. In 2022, eight fellows were selected to conduct research that reflects a research question of interest to the upcycled food community. Studies selected this year include a wide range of topics, including consumer awareness and perception of upcycled products, novel ingredient development, and impact measurement. Findings will be shared with the Upcycled Food Association’s membership and at exclusive events throughout the year. 

Kerry Group and UFF share common goals to protect people and the planet through food solutions that leverage science, imagination and innovation, making the partnership a seamless fit. Kerry currently reaches 1.1 billion consumers daily with sustainable nutrition solutions and has the ambition to grow to 2 billion daily by 2030.

Since launching in 2019, the Upcycled Food Association, UFF’s parent organization, has welcomed more than 261 members and certified 318 products and ingredients through its flagship program, Upcycled Certified. Upcycled Certified products and ingredients collectively diverted nearly 1 billion pounds of food waste in 2022. Grocery store data provider SPINS reported that sales of Upcycled Certified products grew by more than 21% between 2021 and 2022. Whole Foods included upcycling in its list of top food trends between 2021 and 2023, and Food Tank, Kroger and Forbes all identified upcycling as a top 10 food trend in 2021 and 2022.   

Sources: Kerry Group; Upcycled Food Association; Upcycled Certified; SPINS