In an effort to reduce greenhouse emissions, Canadian-based Outcast Foods seeks to divert food waste from landfills by turning discarded fruits and vegetables into plant-based supplements.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions play a significant role in climate change. While the greenhouse gas is not necessarily “evil” in itself, as it helps prevent the planet from freezing temperatures, too much can cause an imbalance, trapping additional heat and cause the planet’s temperature to rise.
One of the biggest sources of greenhouse gases is food waste. When food rots in a landfill, it produces huge amounts of methane – a greenhouse gas at least 28 times as potent as carbon dioxide.
Founded in 2017, the Canadian-based company rescues imperfect, surplus or out-of-date produce like rice, peas, beets, blueberries, and pumpkin from farms, food manufacturers and supermarkets and upcycles them into nutrient-dense, sustainable products for consumption.
The plant-based products include gluten-free protein powders, superfood green powders, and dietary supplements available in various flavours such as chocolate and lemon meringue, which were developed to reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills.
However, according to the company, its food upcycling technology is still confidential but will eventually be shared to be replicated and improved.
“Our mission is to save the planet, but we are under no illusions that we can do this by ourselves,” states Outcast Foods on its website. “Frankly, we want other companies to eventually use our technology so we can all eat our way to a more sustainable future.”
The company has recently closed a US$8 million investment round to scale its current operations, including funding from venture capital firm, District Ventures Capital.
