![]() ![]() “Later this year, consumers will be able to enjoy a powdered mix of WellVine Chardonnay Marc and high flavanol cacao for use in smoothies and drinks like juice or coffee. We are actively looking into several other foods, consumer products and dietary supplements, both independently and with partners. “Vine to Bar chocolates are just the beginning. “It softens the bitter edge of the dark chocolate with a subtle fruitiness,” Mr. Its usage level in the dark chocolate bar is 15% by weight. WellVine Chardonnay Marc contains the entire grape, everything that comes out of the wine press (skin, pulp and seeds). Over the past decade, the company expanded its knowledge of how to capture and harness the benefits of pressed Chardonnay grapes, culminating in the development of WellVine Chardonnay Marc that was first introduced in Vine to Bar chocolate in late 2020. They were made from pressed wine grapes that are a byproduct of winemaking. Starting in 2009, the founders experimented with selling specialty flours, oils and baked foods under the Wholevine name. WellVine Chocolates upcycles pressed wine grapes. “Similarly, products that are extracted or refined for their oils, flavors or fragrances are also good candidates, such as olives, seeds and some plants that are harvested to make spices.” “Capturing spent fruits and vegetables and upcycling them into delicious and better-for-you products just makes good sense,” said Scott Forsberg, president, WellVine Chocolates LLC, Santa Rosa, Calif. The remaining plant components may be rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and phytonutrients. The brewing industry has made strides with the upcycling of spent grains, as has the fruit and vegetable juicing industry with upcycling seeds, skins and pulp. “Sometimes we find a byproduct that is rich in an active compound that can be used in nutraceuticals, and we develop ways to extract that ingredient to concentrate it in a form that has therapeutic value.” “In additional processing streams, the seed’s protein can be obtained by aqueous or solvent extraction or fractionated from dry press cake and milled into flour and protein powder. “Not only do we fractionate the seed to produce valuable co-products, but we take what might be considered waste from those processes and we analyze further to see what is left over and what organoleptic properties the byproduct may contain that can be exploited and put to use in some way,” Mr. The seeds typically are dehulled, leaving their inner hemp hearts available for use in breakfast cereals or snacks. The seeds contain nine essential amino acids, along with essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 and other bio-compounds of value. ![]() “Typically, hulls, oils, fibers and proteins of a plant provide upcycling opportunities.” “We actively research and dissect a plant to unlock various potential uses,” Mr. The company creates value-added ingredients from parts of plants that are overlooked. KeyLeaf has been researching and employing upcycling for nearly 40 years, long before it was called upcycling. “Upcycling has also been defined as ‘the re-use of discarded materials that results in an increase in value.’” “Concerned that overuse of resources could bring about detrimental changes to the quality of life for current and future generations, scientists, academics and innovation leaders in the early 2000s began to promote a practice they called upcycling, which they defined as ‘taking an item that is no longer needed or wanted and giving it new life as something that is either useful or creative,’” said Justin White, vice president of global sales and business development for KeyLeaf Life Sciences, Batavia, Ill. In the five years ended September 2021, food and beverage launches using upcycled ingredients had a compound annual growth rate of 122%, compared with 59% for products packaged in recycled materials, 49% for products with water-saving claims and 47% for products carrying carbon emissions claims. “For the first time ever, more consumers surveyed globally for Innova’s Lifestyle and Attitude Survey say health of the planet is their top global concern, rather than health of the population,” said Lu Ann Williams, insights director. In 2022, the trends now are focused on environmental issues and a shift in key consumer concerns about the health of the planet. Trends identified by Innova Market Insights, Arnhem, The Netherlands, the past few years have been related to transparency and building consumer trust. ![]()
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