"The beauty of upcycling is that it can apply to every stage of the supply chain, from the farm level all the way down to consumers… It's really a mind shift on how we think about food and what is edible and what isn't." —Angie Crone

 

The global food waste epidemic is no longer a secret. Each year, billions of tons of food are wasted globally, including tons of perfectly edible produce that are lost even before they can reach homes, stores, and eateries. Thankfully, upcycling is now seen as a sustainable way to accelerate innovation and reduce food waste. 

 

Upcycling is a creative approach to turning food waste and food products that may otherwise go to waste into something useful and profitable. Not only does this save food, but it also reduces environmental impacts. With upcycling, we can rethink how we view what is waste and what's being wasted. 

 

In this episode, Justine sits with Angie Crone, the Interim CEO of Upcycled Food Association (UFA).

The organization's work is driven by a powerful mission to turn the most authentic economic movement into quantifiable success for upcycled food businesses. To this end, the organization has created the Upcycled Food Standard, a traceable, transparent label for upcycled foods, to identify and certify products that are using upcycled ingredients. 

 

By joining their network of certified business, members can gain a competitive advantage and be seen as credible and trustworthy. Currently, their membership network is made up of upcycled food businesses from 20 countries around the world - from small artisan businesses to large multinationals companies and academic institutions. 

 

Listen in as Justine and Angie talk about the role of upcycling in achieving nutritional security, accelerating innovation through upcycling, differentiating waste and food that's being wasted, the benefits of being Upcycle Certified, and much much more!

Meet Angie: 

Angie Crone is the Interim CEO Of Upcycled Food Association. A highly creative and motivated change-maker, she holds the ability to build purpose-driven programs from the ground up and shepherd them through the entire implementation process with success. 

 

With great insight into the needs of the organization and its end users, Angie is well-versed in designing value-adding programs, building lasting relationships and ensuring everyone is invested in the process. She has also been part of human rights and environmental standards and frameworks, delivering high-value initiatives, and leading cross-functional teams. Her passion and drive, combined with a dynamic and motivating approach, have enabled her to successfully reach goals time and time again.

Her educational background is quite impressive. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, a Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management from American Military University, and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management from Shepherd University. 

 

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Episode Highlights:

02:41 The UFA Journey

06:33 Accelerating Innovation Through Upcycling

10:32 Rethinking Food Waste

14:46 The Benefits of Being Upcycle Certified

18:20 Road to 300