This isn't your average snack bar.
San Francisco startup ReGrained collects spent grain—a byproduct of the beer brewing process that's usually thrown out or used for composting—from a handful of San Francisco craft breweries and dehydrates it to make a flour that co-founder Dan Kurzrock says can be used in an array of products. ReGrained went to market in 2015 with a line of bars that contain its SuperGrain+ flour and a slew of other nutritious ingredients packaged in a compostable wrapper.
It's a compelling environmental story, but Kurzrock says the process hasn't been without challenges—from figuring out how to convert the spent grain into a usable ingredient to communicating its story to consumers without making them feel like they're eating trash. We caught up with the company at Natural Products Expo West to learn more about the challenges of using an upcycled ingredient and his advice for other companies with a vision to tackle food waste.
