Innovation

Renewal Mill’s biggest innovation is their milling and drying process. They “upcycle byproducts from food manufacturing into premium ingredients and products to combat global food waste." Upcycling is defined as taking a byproduct or “waste” and transforming it into a product of higher value. The process of repurposing pulp from foods originated in people’s homes. For example, many people make okara in their homes, which is a byproduct of making soy milk that can be repurposed into a new dish or used as livestock feed. Renewal Mill was the first to upcycle soy milk byproducts into okara at an industrial scale using industrial streams from a soy milk factory.

By eliminating this waste they also avoid wasting the resources that went into making the food, which helps create a more efficient food system. Renewal Mill mainly works with the byproducts from plant-based milk production. After drying these pulps, which would be otherwise discarded, they produce ingredients rich in fiber and nutrition that can be repurposed into the food system. They use these ingredients in their line of baking mixes, such as dark chocolate brownies or oat chocolate chip cookies. Customers can purchase these baking mixes and fight climate change while enjoying a nutritious treat. As previously mentioned, this business innovation can be tied to SDG 12, responsible production and consumption, given how Renewal Mill combats food waste and aims to lower their footprint overall.

Inspiration

The story of Renewal Mills began when founder Claire Schlemme founded the first organic juice company in Boston and was left with large quantities of pulp after producing the juice. She was unsure of what to do with all of this leftover pulp but did not want to discard it. While attending Yale as a major in management in environmental systems, she met the owner of a tofu factory who was dealing with a similar challenge in managing the byproducts from his production. He said to her, “You think you have a lot of pulp? Well I have a lot of pulp!”. Realizing that there was an opportunity to innovate, they began researching how they could do something meaningful with the pulp. This led them to work together to develop the process now being used by Renewal Mill to repurpose pulp and other food byproducts.

Overall impact

Renewal Mill’s innovation is helping to benefit society and the environment. Food waste is a large factor in climate change. Renewal Mill’s production of upcycling takes a byproduct or waste and turns it into a product of higher value. According to Renewal Mill, about 30% of globally produced food goes to waste. Renewal Mill aims to combat food waste. They want to lessen the amount of food waste that we see in the world. Renewal Mill has had a positive impact on the environment, and they continue to grow their impact as they grow their company.

According to their website, Renewal Mill has diverted over 650,000 pounds of food waste. In 2022, they “saved 308,000 pounds of nutrition from going to waste by upcycling the pulp left after from plant-based milk production.” Renewal Mill avoided 960,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and saved 44,000,000 gallons of water in just 2022 alone through the creation of upcycled goods.

Renewal Mill is a 1% For the Planet member, which means that they donate at least 1% of their annual sales to environmental causes. Their cocoa products are Fairtrade International certified. Fairtrade certification helps companies make sustainable trade relationships in countries producing inputs to their products. Renewal Mill is also part of Certified Plastic Negative Products, which means that they help to remove twice the amount of plastic in the environment that the company uses for its products.

Business benefit

Innovation has positively impacted Renewal Mill. Renewal Mill's biggest innovation is being the first to use industrial measures to utilize soy and oat milk pulp. With their production process, they can use ingredients that others would deem unusable or unwanted. This innovation has created opportunities for their company.

Renewal Mill is a top brand in Whole Foods Market with excellent reviews and shining appraisals. You can buy Renewal Mill products at stores like Foodtown and other markets across the United States. According to the President at Renewal Mill, Lydia Oxley, whom we met in our online interview, the company has been steadily growing and their sales keep improving year over year. Renewal Mill does not share their financials publicly. As for employees, Renewal Mill has a small but very loyal workforce that has had very low turnover. Employees believe in the company’s vision, which highlights the importance of the work done by Renewal Mill.

Renewal Mill has created investment opportunities, and they currently have eight big funders backing them. These investments have helped them to raise approximately $2.5 million in the last funding round. Renewal Mill found a way to not only help the environment but also become a small and profitable privately owned business. Their clever innovation and environmental focus have allowed them to grow as a company and in sustainability.

Social and environmental benefit

The invention of Renewal Mill addresses food waste and encourages sustainable consumption, benefiting both society and the environment. Renewal Mill saves waste, conserves resources, and lessens the food industry's environmental effect by recycling unwanted byproducts of food production.

First, their method addresses the serious issue of food waste, which contributes significantly to both global waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Renewal Mill assists in removing waste items from landfills, lowers methane emissions, and saves landfill space. Examples of these products are the fiber pulp from nut milk and the nutrient-dense bran from grains. Second, Renewal Mill's products help create a more sustainable food system by giving customers wholesome ingredients. They provide a sustainable substitute for conventional goods by producing premium, recycled flour, and other components, which lessens the dependency on resource-intensive farming methods. This helps the environment by lowering the demand for fresh energy, water, and land inputs. It also encourages healthier eating practices by supplying wholesome and adaptable products.

Renewal Mill's strategy has the potential to spur further changes in the industry toward more sustainable and circular methods. Through showcasing the financial feasibility and ecological advantages of repurposing food leftovers, they open doors for analogous endeavors throughout the food sector, thereby stimulating creativity and cooperation in the pursuit of a more sustainable future. All things considered, Renewal Mill's invention benefits society and the environment by addressing urgent environmental issues and advancing a more just and sustainable food system.

Interview

Lydia Oxley, Director of Marketing and Sales