Outcast Upcycled Nutrition Partners with Happy Planet Foods on a mission to combat food waste one smoothie at a time.

Plant-Based tech company focused on reducing food waste through upcycling will collaborate with the leading Canadian smoothie producer to create an innovative product range tackling the #1 environmental concern - food waste.

HALIFAX, N.S. (March 23rd, 2021) - 

Halifax based company, Outcast Foods announced their partnership today with sustainable brand innovator Happy Planet Foods on a first-to-market smoothie range incorporating upcycled fresh fruit and vegetables. Outcast Upcycled Nutrition rescues thousands of perfectly fresh surplus fruits and vegetables every year and using their innovative technology upcycles these fruits and vegetables into nutrient-dense powders. Happy Planet is relaunching their Extreme & Fruit smoothies incorporating these upcycled powders this February across retailers nationally in an effort to help reduce food waste in Canada. Sobeys Inc. completes this incredible Canadian initiative by working with Outcast to upcycle their surplus produce which then goes into Happy Planet’s ‘Rescued’ upcycled smoothie brand now available in Sobeys retail locations across Canada. 

Over half of all food in Canada is wasted making it one of the leading drivers of climate change contributing 8% of greenhouse gases globally. “That’s why we felt Outcast were a great partner as we are both on a mission to reduce food waste and they align perfectly with Happy Planet’s vision to create a happier planet through purpose-led, sustainable products that are better for people & the planet” says Natasha Questel, president of Happy Planet Foods. With sustainability and health at the forefront of Outcast Foods’ personal efforts, the Outcast team, “could not be more excited to directly contribute toward a future of consumer-packaged products that also prioritize environmental impact while balancing nutritional value and great natural taste” says Dr. Darren Burke, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder of Outcast Foods.

Outcast Foods’ collaborative work with Happy Planet will continue to both advance and widen the reach of its industry-leading and patent-pending food processing system, allowing surplus fruits and vegetables rescued by the company to maintain their vital micronutrients and gain a longer shelf life. Sobeys has become an integral part of Outcast’s momentum in the upcycled food space and is helping create a sustainable circular economy by cutting down on their food-waste and featuring Outcast products on shelves in Atlantic Canada.

“Our mission is to rescue 100,000lbs of fresh fruit & veggies this year,” says Natasha Questel, President of Happy Planet Foods. “We’re excited to be first to market with our ‘Rescued’ upcycled smoothie range and we love rolling up our sleeves alongside other Canadian businesses to make an impact on people and planet with the help of our friends at Outcast Upcycled Nutrition and their relationships with socially conscious farmers as well with the support of sustainable minded grocers like Sobeys”. 

About Outcast Foods
Outcast Foods is a plant-based technology company that uses surplus produce from grocers, farmers, food producers and manufacturers and turns it into clean, sustainable, nutrient-dense food for wholesale, retail, and consumer use. Our direct-to-consumer products are plant-based, gluten-free protein powders, vitamins and super greens that give our customers peas-of-mind that they are eating their way to a more sustainable future. Our ingredients are used by a wide range of other CPG’s allowing more companies to become a part of a sustainable food economy. More information can be found at www.outcastfoods.com. 

About Happy Planet

Happy Planet’s vision is to create a happier planet through feel good sustainable food focusing on doing right by people and planet.  We believe in sustainable choices like less food waste, plant based, Organic & non-GMO ingredients for a better planet and we support fair trade and ethical sourcing, helping small farmers & communities to thrive. To learn more about their initiatives and products, visit: www.happyplanet.com

About Sobeys Inc.

Proudly Canadian, with headquarters in Stellarton, Nova Scotia, Sobeys has been serving the food shopping needs of Canadians since 1907. Sobeys Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Empire Company Limited (TSX: EMP.A), owns, affiliates or franchises more than 1,500 stores in all 10 provinces under retail banners that include Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, Farm Boy and Lawtons Drugs as well as more than 350 retail fuel locations. Sobeys, its franchisees and affiliates employ approximately 127,000 people. More information on Sobeys Inc. can be found at www.sobeyscorporate.com.