Upcycled vegan wholesaler Renewal Mill has teamed up with US craft ice cream brand Salt & Straw to create an upcycled dairy-free treat from a soy milk side stream. 

The limited-edition Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcake ice cream features Renewal Mill’s vegan Dark Chocolate Brownie mix. The premix is based on okara flour – a gluten-free alternative to wheat made from soybean pulp.

“Around 1.3 billion tons of food gets wasted each year, with much of it ending up in landfills and contributing to climate change,” said Caroline Cotto, co-founder of Renewal Mill.

“We are honored to raise awareness about food loss and prove that eating sustainably doesn’t sacrifice taste.”

The launch comes amid piqued consumer interest in reducing food waste, as highlighted in one of Innova Market Insights’ Top Ten Trends for 2022: “Upcycling Redefined.”

Eco-friendly indulgence 
The Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcake flavor features generous swaths of salted caramel frosting on top of dark chocolate okara-based brownie cupcakes crumbled into fleur de sel-spiked oat ice cream.      

It was made by a James Beard Award-winning chef, Alice Medrich, and is the first flavor on Salt & Straw’s menu to feature okara flour. 

The limited-edition Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcake ice cream features Renewal Mill’s vegan Dark Chocolate Brownie mix.Renewal Mill is also the only upcycled company to be featured in Salt & Straw’s “Cupcakes by Vegandulgence Series” flavor series.

The annual campaign raises awareness about vegan food options that “not only taste great, but are great for the planet too.”

Every January, Salt & Straw offers dairy-free creations coined Vegandulgence Series. The rest of the year, it dedicates 20% of its menu to vegan flavors.

Rescuing waste 
Okara Flour is a versatile superfood that provides superior nutrition with a neutral taste, supports Renewal Mill. 

By upcycling the soybean pulp that would otherwise go to waste and release greenhouse gases which cause global warming, Renewal Mill says it is playing its part in fighting climate change. 

Okara flour can be used on its own or in combination with other flours and baking ingredients as an eco-friendly option. 

In 2020, Renewal Mill launched an oat okara flour, created from oat milk production side streams. 

Upcycling trending 
Industry is finding more ways to reuse waste to maximize ingredients. 

Last August, the Upcycled Food Association rolled out a labeling system to help consumers identify upcycled certified foods. 

Meanwhile, Finnish food company Apetit began production of its high-fiber veggie balls, created from oilseed cake. The ingredient is gluten- and soy-free and is a byproduct of rapeseed oil pressing.