REDUCED

  1. Food Upcycling
  2. Cases

REDUCED is a Danish foodtech company based in Copenhagen that transforms surplus streams from the food industry into natural, flavour-rich ingredients. Using advanced precision fermentation, REDUCED converts side streams such as broken rice, discarded vegetables, and spent hens into stocks, sauces, and flavour enhancers - products with high gastronomic value and low environmental impact.

The company’s mission is to replace food waste with flavour and to create a more circular food economy by making use of what would otherwise be discarded.

We reduce food waste and replace it with taste.

REDUCED

Partners involved

To realise the potential of upcycling, REDUCED works closely with a range of partners across the value chain:

  • Customers:
    Over 100 food producers, catering companies, and restaurants use REDUCED’s ingredients to develop tasty products with a lower climate footprint.
  • Suppliers:
    REDUCED collaborates with sustainably minded raw material suppliers such as Rokkedahl (poultry), Tvedemose (mushrooms), and Fiskerikajen (fish and shellfish), all of whom contribute high-quality side streams.
  • Distributors:
    To reach both industry customers and the retail market, REDUCED works with partners such as Dagrofa, Hørkram, Dansk Cater, Caldic, Welding Food, and retail partners including Meny, Salling Group, COOP, Nemlig, and Aarstiderne.
  • Technology and research:
    REDUCED has developed its own fermentation platforms and collaborates with research institutions to improve the utilisation of complex side streams.
  • Environmental data and certification:
    REDUCED works with CarbonCloud to measure and document the climate footprint of its products, enabling customers to make data-driven decisions and supporting transparency throughout the value chain.

REDUCED turns broken rice, discarded vegetables, and spent hens into stocks, sauces, and flavour enhancers.

Opportunities and Challenges

Opportunities:

  • Value creation: By transforming side streams into high-quality flavour ingredients, REDUCED creates new markets and reduces waste.
  • Sustainability: Upcycling minimises resource use and CO₂ emissions, supporting a circular food economy.
  • Innovation: The company develops new fermentation solutions that make it possible to effectively utilise even inconsistent and unstable raw materials.

Challenges:

  • Quality and stability: The raw materials REDUCED works with vary in composition and quality, requiring flexible processes.
  • Market penetration: As a new category, flavour ingredients from side streams require close dialogue with chefs and producers.
  • Certification and documentation: REDUCED works continuously to ensure food safety and meet international standards.

Solution

REDUCED has established a scalable production facility in Copenhagen where it develops and manufactures stocks and flavour enhancers using precision fermentation. The products are designed for both industry and professional kitchens and range from chicken stock made from spent hens to vegan umami concentrates based on vegetable waste.

To support customers’ sustainability goals, REDUCED actively works on documenting climate footprints and ensuring transparency throughout the value chain. Through collaboration with CarbonCloud, REDUCED measures and publishes the CO₂ footprint of each product.

Results and Environmental / Climate Impact

Results and Environmental Impact

  • Growth and market expansion: REDUCED has rapidly gained a presence in both foodservice and food manufacturing and is experiencing increasing demand.
  • Customer satisfaction: Customers benefit from flavour-rich products while also being able to document a positive climate impact.
  • Innovation leadership: REDUCED is regarded as a pioneer in upcycling and natural flavour solutions in the Nordic region.

Environmental effects:

  • CO₂ reduction: Products are documented to emit up to 83% less CO₂ per kilogram compared to conventional alternatives.
  • Circularity: Products are created from resources that would otherwise be wasted, contributing to responsible consumption and waste reduction.
Our products are proven to emit up to 83% less CO2 per kilogram compared to conventional alternatives. To ensure full transparency, we work with CarbonCloud to measure and share the carbon footprint of each product, empowering our customers to make informed, sustainable choices.

REDUCED

Conclusion

REDUCED is a strong example of how technology and gastronomy can be combined to address one of the food industry’s biggest challenges: food waste. By upcycling side streams, the company not only creates new market opportunities but also delivers a documented climate benefit. REDUCED demonstrates how the circular economy and innovation can lead to growth, value, and sustainability - while tasting great.