Mondelēz’s SnackFutures joins Upcycled Food Association

SnackFutures, the Mondelēz International Inc. innovation and venture hub, announced its membership to the Upcycled Food Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing food waste by growing the upcycled economy.

SnackFutures was created in 2018 as a growth driver for Mondelēz International with a focus on well-being snacks around the world. The group has made planet-first innovation a key pillar of its portfolio strategy with a mission is to create well-being snacks that are good for people, kind to the planet and deliciously fun.

Illustrating this commitment, the first two brands developed and launched by SnackFutures are made from produce that would otherwise be wasted:

• CaPao rescues and reimagines parts of the cacaofruit that would otherwise go to waste and turns them into plant-based wondersnacks to fuel the wellbeing of people and the planet. Previously, the cacaofruit was simply being thrown away once the cocoa beans were extracted from the fruit to create chocolate.
• Dirt Kitchen Snacks are snackably delicious veggies made from real, recognizable vegetables that come in both an Air Dried Veggies + Nuts mix, as well as Air Dried Veggie Crisps, made from produce that would normally become on-farm waste due to surplus, ripeness or bruising. 

“There is nothing but upside to using upcycled ingredients,” said Brigette Wolf, global head of SnackFutures. “By creating brands built on the promise of reducing food waste, we provide a growing generation of ‘ethical consumers’ a snackable way to act on their convictions, do right by the planet and build our relevance, reputation and revenue streams as a snack leader.” 

The innovation and venture hub also recently launched CoLab, a start-up engagement program for US-based early-stage well-being snack brands. The program is designed to support, grow, and potentially invest in brands in the well-being space.

UFA chief executive and cofounder Turner Wyatt said food industry leaders like SnackFutures that have the expertise in consumer behavior, communicating complex topics and marketing well-being, can be a major force in driving attention and action around the food waste prevention movement.

“Upcycled is still a very new term, and without proper context it can be a bit confusing,” Wyatt continued. “That’s why I love that SnackFutures is able to ‘consumerize’ upcycling through snacking, and create a simple, actionable way for consumers to make an impact.”