Keep food food: circular pioneers MaGie Creations and Looop join forces to keep draff in our food chain
Brewing grain expert MaGie Creations and established residue stream valoriser Looop are joining forces to bring about the large-scale processing of draff into sustainable ingredients for the food industry.
Based on a shared commitment to a fully circular economy, the partners are seeking to keep draff entirely within the food chain without sending parts of this residue stream to biomass. They are thereby taking a pioneering step in the transition to a healthy food system that does not deplete either people or the planet.
Draff is the grain that is left over after the beer brewing process. However, Madeleine Gielens, founder of MaGie Creations, prefers to refer to it as brewing grain, as that appeals to the imagination more. “Ingredients based on brewing grain are tasty, healthy, affordable and sustainable. Our customers must be able to rely on a reliable supply of these ingredients. Our partnership with Looop not only gives us more control over our logistics chain, but also provides medium to large breweries with a simple plug-and-play solution for all their brewing grain,” says Gielens. MaGie Creations is seeking to process 11 million kilos of brewing grain into high-quality food products every year. Together with Looop, the company is working to create a 100% fossil-free plant where the brewing grain will be processed.
Upcycling residue streams into food for human consumption is a new step for Looop. “Our strategy is based on Moerman's Ladder, a model that shows how we can make the highest quality use of raw materials,” says Kelly Vermeer, Manager Strategic Business Development at Looop. “The higher we can place the co-products, the lower the carbon footprint.” By valorising part of the draff into food for humans instead of animals, the co-product is moved one step up the ladder. “This is a first for us and that makes us particularly proud of this partnership,” adds Vermeer.
The Netherlands produces 560 million kilograms of draff every year. This makes it beer brewers’ largest residue stream. Because the brewer only needs the sugars, starches and some soluble proteins from the malted grains used to brew beer, the most nutritious components from the malt remain in the brewing grain. Namely the fibre, protein and some vegetable fats. By keeping this within the food chain, less farmland and fresh water is needed to produce our food. It also reduces carbon emissions from our food production.
MaGie Creations' ingredients are currently mainly supplied to the bakery sector, where they are turned into crackers and sponge cakes for retail and bagels and pizzas for foodservice, while artisan bakeries distinguish themselves by baking (sourdough) breads with a surprisingly delicious and unique taste experience. Gielens says: “It's really very simple. Brewing grain provides added value in products. Because 9 times out of 10, it dramatically improves the nutritional values. Our partnership with Looop makes our ingredients even more accessible, so that the healthy and sustainable choice becomes a viable option for more and more people.” Initially, the collaboration is focused on demonstrating the functionality of the central processing hub, and then on scaling up in terms of both size and area served, with the ambition of serving breweries across north-western Europe.
About MaGie Creations
MaGie Creations develops food products and applications based on brewing grain that are delicious, free up farmland, reduce carbon emissions, consume less fresh water and are healthier than traditional alternatives. They are thereby ensuring that food that is sustainable in terms of the environment and health becomes the affordable standard for everyone. Because that's how they can create real impact. Want to taste it for yourself? MaGie Creations will be at Fi Europe in Frankfurt from 19 to 21 November 2024.
About Looop
Looop is an independent (knowledge) partner for valorising co-products from the food, beverage and fermentation industries. The portfolio includes versatile co-products from grains, maize and other organic raw materials which can be used as high-quality ingredients for animal and livestock feed, as renewable energy sources and for the production of innovative bio-based products. By valorising organic co-products, Looop is striving for a fully circular world where waste no longer exists.
