The Challenge

Food loss and food waste create profound environmental and social burdens worldwide. Despite food production claiming nearly a third of global agricultural land, approximately 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted in 2022 – while 783 million people faced hunger and a third of the global population grappled with food insecurity (UNCC, 2024). This inefficiency generates 8-10% of global annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, roughly five times the emissions of the aviation sector (UNCC, 2024).  

In the European Union (EU), annual food waste exceeds 58 million tonnes (Eurostat, 2025), producing emissions equivalent to 252 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (European Commission, 2023). If food waste were an EU Member State, it would rank as the bloc's fifth-largest GHG emitter (European Commission, 2023). Notably, food and beverage manufacturing accounts for 19% of this waste (Eurostat, 2025).

In 2023, Ireland generated 835,000 tonnes of food waste (EPA Ireland, 2025). The brewing sector alone produces over 170,000 tonnes of spent grain yearly (DAFM, 2025), much of which ends up as low-value animal feed or waste, intensifying resource inefficiency (Teagasc, 2022). When such organic waste decomposes in landfills, it releases methane, a GHG with 84 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, exacerbating climate change (EEA, 2025).

Circular Solution

Circular Food Co, a participant of the 2025 CIRCULÉIRE Venture Accelerator, transforms food industry by-products and surplus like spent grain into high-value, plant-based ingredients for the bakery, meat, snacking, and nutrition sectors. The company collects surplus from Irish producers, uses thermal dehydration to retain flavour and nutrition, and analyses functionality to create fibre-, protein-, and antioxidant-rich products. Their process diverts waste from disposal, enabling brands to meet ESG targets with upcycled ingredients that enhance taste and nutrition without new cultivation.

Climate Impact

Circular Food Co delivers substantial environmental benefits through upcycling, preventing landfill methane emissions and avoiding emissions tied to virgin resource production. Their ingredients offer near-total reductions: 100% in water use and 99% in land use, alongside 25% lower carbon footprints compared to conventional alternatives (Circular Food Co, n.d.).

Upcycling closes nutrient loops, curbing demand for new production and mitigating climate impacts. To date, the company reports  diverting over 200 tonnes of food waste, averting roughly 320 tonnes of CO₂e emissions while achieving over 70% resource efficiency with minimal extra water or energy. 

Replicability

Food loss and waste exact a heavy economic toll, costing the global economy roughly USD 1 trillion annually (UNCC, 2024). The EU Waste Framework Directive mandates Member States to cut food waste by 10% in processing and manufacturing by 2030 (European Commission, 2025). Upcycling unlocks value from this waste stream, tapping into a €132 billion opportunity across the chain (European Commission, n.d.).

Companies like Circular Food Co exemplify how to valorise waste and meet ambitious 2030 targets. Similar initiatives include:

• UpGrain, a Swiss company, which upcycles brewers' spent grain into protein- and fibre-rich ingredients for snacks and baked goods, saving CO₂ and disposal costs.

  
  

• Agrain, a Danish company, which converts spent grain into nutritious flour using proprietary technology, saving 24-44 kg CO₂ per 100 kg and 2 m² land per kg compared to traditional flour.

  
  

• Well Spent Grain upcycle brewer's spent grain into sustainable and delicious snacks. Read the CIRCULÉIRE case study on Well Spent Grain here

A Note on By-Products & End of Waste

A by-product is a residue left over from the production of another product. In Ireland, Regulation 27 of the Waste Directive sets out the circumstances in which a material can be considered a by-product and not a waste. It is essential you notify the EPA to determine if your material satisfies the criteria of a by-product. The EPA will confirm if it can be categorised as a by-product or if it must be categorised as a waste. If the substance is classified as a waste then it may need to achieve End-of-Waste status via Article 28 of the Waste Directive to be kept in use as a resource.