「食品アップサイクル」は、これまで廃棄されてきた食品の副産物・規格外品を、別の食品として生まれ変わらせる取り組みです。豆腐製造のおから、ビール製造のモルト粕、コーヒー抽出粕、規格外野菜、果物の皮や芯——いずれも食材として使える栄養価を持ちながら、流通や見た目の都合で捨てられてきました。世界の食品アップサイクル市場は2025年時点で約608億ドル規模と推計され、拡大が続いています。
本記事では、食品アップサイクルの定義、市場規模、国内外の事例9選、SDGs対応、企業が取り組む意義、商品開発の実務ポイントまで業務目線で網羅的に整理します。新規事業・サステナビリティ担当・商品開発担当が押さえるべき情報をまとめました。
What Is Food Upcycling | Organizing the Definition and Related Terms
Food upcycling is an effort to give new value to food ingredients and byproducts that were destined for disposal and use them as another food product. It is often confused with recycling, reuse, and food loss measures, but the concepts differ subtly.
The Difference Between Upcycling and Recycling
Recycling (resource recovery) means returning waste to raw materials and reusing it. Upcycling (value-creating regeneration) is the act of turning waste into "a different product of higher value," characterized by creating new product value. In food upcycling, for example—"spent beer grain → cookies," "okara → bakery," "spent coffee grounds → mushroom growing medium"—the exit of disposal becomes the entrance of a new product.
The Relationship with Food Loss (Food Waste)
Food loss (food waste) refers to food that is discarded even though it is still edible, amounting to about 4.72 million tons annually in Japan (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) FY2022 estimate). Food upcycling is one means of reducing this food loss. However, since the targets of upcycling also include "byproducts not directly eaten by people (spent grounds, peels, cores)," it can be said to be a broader concept than food loss reduction.
Positioning with Sustainability and the SDGs
Food upcycling is a representative practice of SDG Goal 12, "Responsible Consumption and Production." The point that it simultaneously achieves the circular use of resources, the reduction of waste, and the creation of new economic value is valued in corporate sustainability strategy. It also has high affinity with CSR and ESG investment, and in recent years there have been increasing cases of it being incorporated into the business strategies of major food companies.
The Current State and Size of the Food Upcycling Market
世界市場は拡大が続いていると推計されています。数値で全体像を把握しておきましょう。
Global Market Size and Growth Rate
世界の食品アップサイクル市場は2025年に約608億ドル、2033年に約947億ドル（年成長率5.7%）へ拡大すると予測されています（出典：Data Bridge Market Research）。ただし市場規模は調査会社によって数字の開きが大きいため、社内資料に使うときは複数のレポートを突き合わせてください。アメリカが市場をリードし、欧州・アジアが続く構図です。気候変動・人口増・SDGs要請が市場拡大の追い風になっています。
The Domestic Market and Companies to Watch
In Japan, representative cases include Oisix ra daichi's "Upcycle by Oisix," Kikkoman's byproduct utilization, Fuji Oil's plant-based food development, and Meiji's chocolate byproduct utilization. Independent efforts are also advancing among small and medium enterprises and startups, and Kyoto's Minoyo "Japanese cacao" is one of them.
Tailwinds for Market Expansion
There are four reasons the food upcycling market is expanding: (1) as an evaluation axis for SDGs and ESG investment, it directly links to corporate value; (2) cost pressure from soaring prices of major raw materials such as cacao, coffee, and soybeans; (3) rising environmental awareness among consumers; and (4) tighter sustainability regulations in the EU and the US. In particular, the cacao shock from 2024 onward has accelerated the development of alternative ingredients in the confectionery industry. For details, please also refer to"Five reasons cacao beans are soaring in price".
なぜいま食品アップサイクルなのか
Why is food upcycling attracting so much attention now? Let us organize three reasons.
(1) The Structural Problem of Food Loss
Food loss is composed roughly half of household-generated and half of business-generated waste, and even within the business-generated portion, byproducts from the food manufacturing industry (tofu okara, spent beer grain, juice-pressing residue, etc.) are also a problem because they incur disposal costs. Shifting these from "discarding" to "utilizing" is the core idea of upcycling.
(2) A Hedge Against Soaring Raw Material Prices
カカオ、コーヒー、小麦、砂糖など、主要原料の価格が世界的に上昇しています。輸入依存の食品メーカーにとって、自社副産物を素材化する取り組みは原料コストのリスクヘッジになります。「外部から新たに買う原料」と「すでに自社にある副産物」では、原価構造が違います。
(3) Consumer Environmental Awareness and Brand Value
Environmentally conscious consumer segments (centered on Millennials and Gen Z) tend to have a high willingness to pay for sustainable products. The story of "valuable food made from waste" has strong appeal as brand differentiation. The fact that it is also easy to use in SDGs-context advertising and PR is another reason companies step into upcycling.
国内の食品アップサイクル事例9選
国内で展開されている、食品の副産物を活かした事例を紹介します（食品以外の製品に再生した例も含みます）。発想の幅と実装の方向性を理解するのに役立ちます。
We introduce real cases across a wide range—not only initiatives by major companies but also startups, small and medium enterprises, and regional ventures.
(1) ASTRA FOOD PLAN "Gururiko" | Powdering Food Waste with a Superheated Steam Roaster
ASTRA FOOD PLANは、過熱蒸煎機を使って野菜の端材や食品工場の副産物を乾燥・粉末化しています。完成パウダー「ぐるりこ®」は、玉ねぎ・しいたけ・ビール粕など多様な原料で展開され、食品メーカー・社内カフェ・調味料に採用されています。
(2) Green Ace Co., Ltd. "upvege" | An Upcycling Brand for Unused Vegetables
形・サイズの規格外で市場に出せなかった野菜を、色・香り・栄養を保ったまま高付加価値製品に再生する中小ブランド「upvege」。
(3) kitafuku Co., Ltd. "CRAFT BEER PAPER" | Turning Spent Malt into Paper
横浜のベンチャー・kitafukuは、クラフトビール製造で出るモルト粕（麦芽の搾りかす）を、紙の原料にアップサイクルする「CRAFT BEER PAPER」を2021年に発売。名刺・パッケージ・ノートなどに展開され、ビール醸造所と紙製品メーカーの異業種コラボとして注目される地域ベンチャー事例です。
④株式会社SORENA「りんごレザー」｜飯綱町と組んだ合成皮革
長野県のベンチャー・SORENAは、飯綱町と連携して地元のりんご加工で出る搾りかすから「りんごレザー」（合成皮革）を製造。バッグ・財布などのファッションアイテムに展開し、地域農業と都市部の消費者をつなぐ循環モデルを実現。地方発のアップサイクルベンチャーの代表例です。
⑤株式会社アイル「VEGHEET（ベジート）」｜野菜のシート食品
"VEGHEET," developed by Aichi Prefecture's Aile, is a new food material made by combining off-spec, unsellable vegetables with agar and drying them into a sheet like nori seaweed. Offered in a variety of vegetables—carrot, tomato, spinach, and more—it is used as material for rolled items and wrap sandwiches. It is a representative example of a small-to-medium food manufacturer pioneering a new category.
⑥オイシックス・ラ・大地「Upcycle by Oisix」
A proprietary brand that food-delivery giant Oisix ra daichi has developed since 2021. It offers more than 20 kinds of upcycled products—turning broccoli stems, daikon peels, pineapple cores, and more into chips, a pancake mix using okara, and processing the ume fruit left over after umeshu production into dried fruit. It is a representative domestic case widely distributed in BtoC.
⑦キッコーマンの副産物循環
Soy sauce giant Kikkoman has established a circular system that reuses byproducts—such as soy sauce lees, soy sauce oil, fruit juice-pressing residue, and okara—for feed, fertilizer, and new food materials. A distinctive feature is that it advances both yield improvement to reduce the very volume of byproducts generated and the effective use of waste (source:Kikkoman CSR）。
⑧アサヒユウアス「Coffeeloop」｜コーヒー粕の再生
The "Coffeeloop" project developed by Asahi Uyus, a subsidiary of the Asahi Group, manufactures reusable "Coffeeloop cups" using the spent coffee grounds from Hotel Granvia Kyoto as raw material. Implemented in the guest-only lounge of Hotel Vischio Kyoto, it is a case of a major company creating a circular product in partnership with the hotel industry.
⑨美濃与「和のカカオ」｜大豆珈琲の副産物からつくるカカオ代替素材
京都の美濃与（京菓子原材料の専門商社）による国内アップサイクル事例。詳細は本記事後半の「美濃与の和のカカオ」セクションで解説します。
Overseas Food Upcycling Case Studies
Overseas, particularly in the US and Europe, initiatives by food-upcycling-specialized startups and major companies stand out.
The US "Upcycled Food Association" and Its Certification System
米国では業界団体「Upcycled Food Association（UFA）」が「Upcycled Certified」認証制度を立ち上げました（現在の運営はWhere Food Comes From社）。食品の何%がアップサイクル素材か、トレーサビリティを満たしているかなどの基準で認証され、消費者が一目でアップサイクル商品を選べる仕組みです。
US Voyage Foods' Cacao and Coffee Alternatives
US-based Voyage Foods is a startup that develops alternative ingredients for cacao and coffee using grape seeds, sunflower seeds, barley, and more. Partnering with major raw-material makers such as Cargill, it is advancing B2B supply globally. Full-scale entry into the Japanese market is still limited, but it is a company drawing high attention in the industry.
Europe's Use of Spent Beer Grain and Bread Crumbs
ドイツ、オランダ、英国などのビール大国では、ビール粕を使ったパン・スナック・プロテインバーが商品化されています。
Food Upcycling and the SDGs / Sustainability
Food upcycling directly contributes to several of the SDGs. Let us organize the talking points for when companies feature it in CSR reports and integrated reports.
Related SDG Goals
The SDG goals to which food upcycling directly contributes are mainly three: (1) Goal 12 "Responsible Consumption and Production" (sustainable production and consumption patterns), (2) Goal 2 "Zero Hunger" (effective use of food), and (3) Goal 13 "Climate Action" (reduction of greenhouse gases during waste processing). These are indicators that are easy for consumers and investors to understand as well.
Impact on CSR and ESG Evaluation
In institutional investors' ESG evaluations, a company's efforts toward a circular economy are emphasized. Food upcycling cases are areas where it is easy to differentiate in ESG evaluation, since reduction effects are easy to demonstrate quantitatively (amount of waste reduced, amount of CO2 reduced, etc.). They can be used as material for investor-facing IR and integrated reports.
Responding to Overseas Regulations
EUの森林破壊防止規則（EUDR）、英国・米国のサステナビリティ報告義務化など、海外規制が次々と強化されています。日本企業もグローバル展開する場合は、サプライチェーンのサステナビリティ対応が避けられません。
The Significance and Benefits of Companies Engaging in Food Upcycling
Let us organize the concrete benefits for food manufacturers and raw-material makers of venturing into the food upcycling business.
Reducing Disposal Costs
食品製造業では、副産物の廃棄処分にもコストがかかります。アップサイクルで副産物を商品化できれば、廃棄コストが収益源に転換します。とくに自社内で副産物を素材化できる企業は、原価構造を根本的に変えられます。
Creating New Product Lines
You can build new business lines that do not rely on existing products. "Upcycling" and "sustainable" appeals are added value on a different axis from existing brands, making pricing easier, and there is potential to build product lines with high value-added margins.
Brand Value and PR Effect
The story of "generating value from waste" is easy to use for media coverage, social media diffusion, and recruitment branding, and is an area with a high effect in CSR and PR contexts. Beyond the sales of a single product, it contributes to enhancing the brand value of the company as a whole.
アップサイクル原料を採用する前に確認すること
Let us organize the checkpoints to keep in mind when using food upcycling raw materials in practice.
Traceability and Quality Control
アップサイクル原料は副産物が出発点になるため、受け入れ規格の擦り合わせが欠かせません。サプライヤー選定では、産地・処理工程・保管状態のトレーサビリティを確保しているかを必ず確認します。第三者認証（Upcycled Certified、有機認証等）の有無も重要な判断軸です。
Sample Trials and Cost Estimation
新素材は完成品でのテクスチャー・色味・風味を確認してから採用判断するのが基本です。配合量は素材の規格と完成品での試作結果をもとに決めます。原価試算も配合比率ごとに行い、量産時のコスト・販売価格・利益率を試算しましょう。
食品表示と広告表現の線引き
Appeals such as "upcycling," "byproduct used," and "food loss reduction" need to be designed so as not to violate the Food Labeling Act or the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations. When featuring specific figures (amount of disposal reduced, amount of CO2 reduced), third-party-verifiable data is essential. Coordinate with a food labeling specialist at an early stage of product development.
美濃与の和のカカオ｜大豆珈琲の副産物からの素材化
美濃与は、国産大豆を起点にした食品アップサイクルを進めています。
大豆珈琲から生まれる豆粕・微粉
Minoyo'sSoybean Roasteryでは、国産大豆を焙煎してきな粉や大豆珈琲を作ります。大豆珈琲の製造工程では、豆粕や微粉が副産物として出ます。これを捨てずに、新しい食品素材として生かすことにしました。
和のカカオの提供形態
カカオ代替素材「Japanese cacao」の提供形態はパウダーのみで、サンプルのご請求を承っています。
サンプルのご請求
If you are thinking "I want to try an upcycled ingredient" or "I want to incorporate it into my own product development," pleaseContactormaterial downloadcontact us. For our business details, seeOur Business & Why We Are Chosen, and the ordering process is summarized atOrdering Process & How to Order.
Frequently asked questions
Q1. What is the difference between upcycling and recycling?
Recycling means returning waste to its original material and reusing it; upcycling means adding new value to waste and turning it into a different product. In food upcycling, waste becomes the main raw material of a new product, as in "spent beer grain → cookies" and "okara → pancakes."
Q2. Where can I buy food upcycled products?
You can purchase them at Oisix ra daichi "Upcycle by Oisix," Natural Lawson, natural food stores, Amazon, Rakuten Ichiba, and more. Searching for "upcycled food" or "food loss reduction products" will turn up products from various makers.
Q3. How should I start an upcycling business for my own byproducts?
まず副産物の量・品質・処理コストを可視化し、商品化のポテンシャルを評価します。次に、自社製造で完結するか、外部パートナーと共同開発するかを決めます。サンプル試作・原価試算・食品表示確認を経て、小ロットで市場に出して反応を見てから量を増やす進め方が安全です。
Q4. Does food upcycling really contribute to the environment?
副産物の処理量や食品ロスを減らせる一方、新素材を作る加工工程で使うエネルギーもあるため、効果はライフサイクルアセスメント（LCA）などで個別に評価する必要があります。
Q5. 和のカカオのサンプルは取り寄せられますか？
はい、承っています。Contactからご連絡ください。和のカカオはパウダーでの提供です。
Summary | Food Upcycling Is a Shift from "Disposal" to "Value Creation"
食品アップサイクルは、副産物・規格外食材・廃棄予定の食品を新たな価値ある商品に変える取り組みです。世界市場は2025年に約608億ドルと推計され（Data Bridge Market Research）、日本でも大手・中小問わず事例が登場しています。SDGs・ESG評価・原料リスクヘッジ・ブランド価値向上を同時に実現できる戦略的領域として、企業の取り組みが本格化しています。
国産のアップサイクル素材を商品に使ってみたい方は、和のカカオのサンプルを美濃与までご請求ください。なお美濃与は、他社の副産物を加工する事業は行っていません。Contactormaterial downloadYou can reach us via.
References and sources
- 食品アップサイクル市場規模：Data Bridge Market Research「Global Upcycled Food Products Market」
- Definition and market trends of upcycled food:Social Good "What Is Upcycled Food?"
- Kikkoman's byproduct circulation:Kikkoman CSR
- Food loss statistics:Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) / Ministry of the Environment
