Upcycled Certified program expands into Canada

Toronto – The Upcycled Food Association has expanded its Upcycled Certified program into Canada after seeing its success in the U.S. market.

As part of the expansion, UFA is partnering with Anthesis Provision, the food sustainability experts within Anthesis Group and Circular Opportunity Innovation Launchpad, Guelph-Wellington’s circular business accelerator, to expand the reach of the third-party verified Upcycled Certified Mark to Canadian consumers, raising awareness and providing confidence that the food, beverage, cosmetic, companion pet food, home care, and cleaning products they buy include upcycled ingredients.

The Upcycled Certified Program has certified more than 200 products and ingredients in the United States and is projected to prevent over 820 million pounds of food waste in the next year,

Expansion of the program is a demonstration project of COIL, which is being funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

“Our government is proud to support innovative solutions that address climate change while growing Canada’s economy. That’s why the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, is supporting Guelph-Wellington’s COIL initiative as they work to expand the Upcycled Program into Canada, which will help to ensure Canadian consumers are aware of sustainable options for the everyday products they purchase,” said Helena Jaczek, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

Consumer research suggests demand for Upcycled Foods is strong and growing, with 80 per cent of consumers saying they would seek out upcycled products, the association said in an announcement.

“Global impact can only be made by collaborating,” says Pablo Perversi, chief innovation, sustainability and quality officer and global head of gourmet at Barry Callebaut. Perversi said the company’s Evocao WholeFruit Chocolate is the first upcycled certified chocolate made from 100 per cent pure cacaofruit and that the certification enables brands and artisans to play a role in this movement. “Given that 70 per cent of the 14 million tons of harvested cacaofruit is wasted annually, cacaofruit is the most impactful fruit to fully upcycle,” he said.

“Canada has made food waste prevention a priority and upcycling is the next stage in helping food and beverage companies become more circular,” says Cher Mereweather, CEO of Anthesis Provision, a large group of sustainability experts.

Upcycled Certified is administered by a third-party certification body, Where Food Comes From, which ensures that every Upcycled Certified product and ingredient meets the rigorous Upcycled Certified Standard. To learn more about the program visit upcycledfood.org or contact certification@upcycledfood.org.