Dive Brief:
- SunOpta and Seven Sundays have launched Oat Protein Cereal made with SunOpta’s OatGold protein powder, the companies said in a statement. The cereal consists of the byproduct from SunOpta’s oat milk production.
- Oat Protein Cereal comes in four flavors: Simply Honey, Super Fruity, Maple Cinnamon and Chocolate Sea Salt. The cereal is Upcycled Certified by the Upcycled Food Association.
- The breakfast item — which is available at Whole Foods, Sprouts and Amazon — is the latest launch from a CPG company utilizing ingredients that would have otherwise gone to waste.
Dive Insight:
Concerns about food waste are driving more interest in utilizing upcycled ingredients for new products in categories such as plant-based milk.
For SunOpta, which owns milk alternative brands Dream and West Life, the partnership with cereal maker Seven Sundays allows it to further its sustainability mission, vice president Lauren McNamara said in the press release.
“Partnering with a like-minded local company to create nutrient-dense cereal made with our upcycled oat protein aligns well with our core values and desire to help provide healthy products for consumers,” McNamara said.
SunOpta has touted the high protein and fiber content of its OatGold powder. The company said it can be used in an array of applications, features a neutral taste and is non-GMO and kosher certified.
The launch follows a successful period for SunOpta, which has seen sales growth in recent years despite inflation.
On its most recent earnings call last month, SunOpta CEO Joe Ennen said revenue for its plant-based milk increased 25% in its last quarter.
Having a partner that is familiar with the breakfast space in Seven Sundays could prove to be beneficial to SunOpta. The cereal maker, which originally hails from New Zealand, produces a range of better-for-you items including granola, oatmeal and sunflower-based cereals.
By having its oat byproduct used in the cereal, SunOpta joins other companies in the upcycled foods space who are betting that repurposing ingredients can help solve the global food waste crisis, as well as generate consumer interest in their products. The Upcycled Food Association told Food Dive last fall that more than 250 brands have received its certification, with more from large food and beverage CPGs on the way.
CPGs such as Anheuser-Busch and Kerry have debuted products that reuse spent grains from beer production. At the same time, companies like Upcycled Foods are enhancing the technology used to make upcycled products and tapping into new ingredients such as cacao fruit.
