THE CHALLENGE

One of the earliest steps in the beer brewing process is when grain is steeped in hot water to stimulate the release of fermentable sugars for brewing. Once those sugars are released, the liquid is drained away and used in the next stage of the process. The grain that is left behind is no longer of any use to the brewer and is called Brewer’s Spent Grain (BSG). This spent grain accounts for approximately 85% of the waste created through the entire brewing process (Terefe, 2022).

The brewing industry produces an estimated 39 million tonnes of spent grain per year (Bachmann, Calvete and Féris, 2022), that’s equivalent to the weight of 7.8 million African elephants. 70% of spent grain is commonly used as low-value cow feed or fertiliser, 20% is usually either disposed of in a landfill and the remaining 10% is converted into biogas (Terefe, 2022). That means approximately 7.8 million tonnes of BSG ends up in a landfill every year. Every tonne of BSG disposed of in landfill emits 513 kilogrammes of CO2 equivalent (LIFE-Brewery). BSG disposed of in landfill emits about 4 billion kilogrammes of CO2 each year. This is comparable to the same annual amount of CO2 emitted by burning 22,053 railcars worth of coal (EPA.gov).

THE CIRCULAR OPPORTUNITY

BSG for human consumption has gained popularity in recent years, owing mostly to its health-related bioactive components. BSG is thought to be the most abundant source of phenolic chemicals, particularly hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) (Ikram et al., 2017). These phenolic chemicals are natural antioxidants that have been linked to the prevention of age-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, type I and type II diabetes, and some cancers (Ikram et al., 2017).

BSG is also regarded as a source of dietary fibre for humans, mainly viscous fibres, which aid in raising cholesterol and fat excretion and improving the digestive process (Ikram et al., 2017).

THE CIRCULAR SOLUTION IN PRACTICE

Well Spent Grain, a CIRCULÉIRE New Venture, is a Dublin-based Irish start-up founded by Sunkyung Choi and Patrick Nagle in March 2022. Well Spent Grain collect BSG from brewers like Rascals Brewing Company and transport it immediately to their kitchen for processing or storage. They upcycle it by creating tasty value-added snack bites. Well Spent Grain collaborated with the Prepared Consumer Foods Team in Teagasc Food Research Centre in Ashtown to develop the snacks and validate the production process. They work with ENSO to create and implement their sustainability strategy, track, and verify their performance.

Their first product, Born-Again Peanut and Dark Chocolate soft snack bites, are made from upcycled BSG plus 5 additional ingredients (dates, 100% peanut peanut butter, toasted hazelnut, 70% dark chocolate and maple syrup). They provide good nutrition and a boost to adults’ energy levels. Each pack of Born-Again Bites has a natural malty, nutty, fruity flavour, with hints of dark chocolate and maple syrup. They provide 4.6g of protein per pouch and are high in fibre. They are accidentally vegan, have 100% recyclable packaging, and are hand-crafted locally.

Well Spent Grain offer the consumer the opportunity to take part in the circular food economy in the easiest way possible. By picking up a pouch of Born Again Peanut and Dark Chocolate Soft Snack Bites, you are already taking part, and you get a delicious treat for your trouble.

REPLICABILITY

The global upcycled food market size was valued at USD 53.7 billion in 2021, and is projected to reach USD 97 billion by 2031 (J & D, 2023). Well Spent Grain has a great opportunity to cement and scale its business model alongside the thriving market while promoting the circular economy. Nutrient recovery from food waste and residues has been utilised in a variety of cases, including Niskus Biotec, a CIRCULÉIRE member, who upcycles and adds value to brewery and whiskey distillery by-products by using them to grow gourmet mushrooms (e.g., oyster, lion’s mane, and shiitake) and create myco-fermented food ingredients.