Salt & Straw’s Upcycled Ice Cream: Turning Food Waste into Gourmet Magic
By Qamar Shahzad — May 18, 2025 — Lifestyle & Food
A Sweet Tooth with a Purpose
What if your sweet tooth could help fight food waste? That’s the idea behind Salt & Straw’s Upcycled Food Series, where “ugly” fruits, day-old bread, and other overlooked ingredients get a delicious second life as gourmet ice cream.
Mission Meets Flavor
This isn’t just about quirky flavors, it’s a full-on mission to slash food waste while proving sustainability can taste incredible. Since launching the series, Salt & Straw has rescued nearly 50,000 pounds of ingredients from landfills. Think bruised peaches, leftover potato chips, and even spent grains from breweries, all transformed into scoops worth lining up for.
How “Ugly” Food Becomes Unforgettable Flavors
The Upcycled Series works with partners like Uglies Kettle Chips and Renewal Mill to reinvent surplus food. Some standout creations:
- Malted Potato Chip Cupcake (saved 2,862 lbs of imperfect chips)
- Spiced Goat Cheese & Marionberry (uses surplus whey)
- Cinnamon Bread Pudding (made from stale bakery bread)
- Every flavor is Upcycled Certified®, meaning each bite has a verified environmental impact. No greenwashing here just real, traceable change.
Beyond the Pint: Zero-Waste and Compostable Moves
Salt & Straw’s sustainability push doesn’t stop at ingredients. Their shops now use 100% compostable scoop cups, expected to divert 28,000+ lbs of paper waste yearly. Even the waffle cones are part of the ethos during Earth Month, customers scored a free cone with any scoop to celebrate the cause.
Who’s This For?
- Eco-conscious foodies who want indulgence with integrity
- Flavor adventurers are bored with basic vanilla
- Anyone who hates waste but loves dessert
Why It Matters
The Upcycled Series isn’t a gimmick, it’s proof that sustainability and luxury can coexist. While most brands just talk about “doing better,” Salt & Straw lets you taste the difference.
Try It Yourself
Ready to try? Find the latest upcycled flavors at saltandstraw.com or in their scoop shops.
The Bigger Trend: Waste-Free Indulgence
- Upcycled = Mainstream: Once niche, upcycled foods are now a $46B market (Upcycled Food Association).
- Compostable Everything: Brands are ditching plastic even for “small” items like spoons and cups.
- Flavor-Driven Activism: Consumers increasingly vote with their wallets and their taste buds.
By turning food rescue into an art form, Salt & Straw makes it easy (and delicious) to be part of the solution. No lectures, just great ice cream with a side of impact.
References: saltandstraw.com | upcycledfood.org
This article was written by Imran Ali.