AB InBev subsidiary EverGrain Ingredients has announced its entire portfolio of upcycled barley protein and fibre ingredients has received certification from the Upcycled Food Association. The mark, launched last year, will enable food and beverage manufacturers that use the ingredients to use the claim.
“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,” said Gregory Belt, EverGrain CEO. “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 fibre.”
The company is set to open a scaled facility in St. Louis, Missouri in summer 2022, producing EverPro, a soluble plant-based protein said to be highly compatible with pea protein. According to EverGrain, the ingredient contains a high proportion of protein, very low carbohydrates, half a gram of sugar per 100 g and no cholesterol, soy or dairy. It’s also Non-GMO Project verified.
The company is also exploring plant-based protein and fibre ingredients for meat alternatives, breads and pastas. “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 left over, or ‘spent’ through the brewing process,” said 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.”
The UFA recently stated demand for the certification has already exceeded original projections, with 141 packaged goods and ingredients bearing the designation.
