Reviving Food Resources : Enabling Upcycled Food Production in Sweden

Upcycled foods, products made from edible food residues that would otherwise have been discarded, offer an approach to tackling food waste, climate impact, and resource inefficiency. These foods provide both environmental and economic value by converting surplus into new, nutritious products. The project 'Reviving Food Resources', carried out in collaboration between RISE, the University of Borås, and Axfood, aimed to explore how upcycled foods can be more effectively integrated into the Swedish food supply chain. Through a stakeholder-driven approach and systematic needs assessment, the project identified barriers, opportunities, and actionable insights for implementation. The project shows that there is technical potential and motivation to develop upcycled foods, but also a need for systematic support to address practical, commercial and structural barriers. In addition to technical feasibility, business and collaboration models need to be adapted to local conditions and the characteristics of the raw materials. The project resulted in • A framework/working method for identifying barriers and challenges. • An initial analysis of Swedish food companies' views on upcycling • Recommendations for further work