Bühler AG from Uzwil in the canton of St.Gallen and the consulting firm CN & Partners AG from Lenzburg in the canton of Aargau are working on the development of a meat alternative based on upcycled spent grain. This will lead to the creation of a circular economy solution on the Swiss market for plant-based meat, Bühler writes in a press release. The partners have founded a joint venture Circular Food Solutions Switzerland AG (CFS Switzerland), likewise based in Lenzburg, the press release states.
The spent barley grains produced during the beer brewing process are either used as animal feed or simply discarded by the breweries. “Valorizing this side stream contributes to the circular economy and helps reduce food waste”, explains Christoph Nyfeler, owner of CN & Partners AG, in the press release, adding that the company will also “be using regionally sourced ingredients as the production facility will be close to the main raw material supplier”. In so doing, the local spent grains are “far more sustainable than other plant-based alternatives with long supply routes”, Nyfeler concludes.
The press release also emphasizes the valorization of the spent grain by reusing it in a new way. This kind of “upcycling”, i.e. a process by which by-products and waste materials are transformed into new materials or products that have greater value, is regarded as “the holy grail of the circular economy”. The two partners expect to be able to start production activities as early as next summer. “In January 2022 we started production of Swiss malt with Schweizer Mälzerei AG, and very soon we will be able to provide a true Swiss upcycling nutrition product”, Nyfeler explains.
