Purina to use surplus brewery grains in dog treat pilot
The new treat will be sold under the Adventuros brand over a six-week trial phase in the Netherlands
Purina has announced the launch of a new dog treat which is formulated with surplus grains from breweries in a bid to tackle food waste.
By upcycling grains that might otherwise be left to spoil, Purina said it is able to reduce food waste, repurposing the nutritiously dense substance as a pet food ingredient, calling it a “step towards a more circular economy”.
The new treat will be sold under the Adventuros brand over a six-week trial phase in the Netherlands, and is expected to reach thousands of customers as part of a limited scale pilot focused on gauging consumer response.
The assessment of customer feedback in real time during the six-week trial period will help to determine future deployment and scale-up of the product.
It is the latest creation from Purina’s LiveLab innovation unit, which works to “actively explore industry challenges and develop new product and packaging solutions to respond to changing consumer demand”.
According to Purina, the team is actively engaged with generating “innovative” new ideas and solutions to improve the environmental impact of Purina products. A previous creation includes Purina’s Beyond Nature’s Protein, which uses alternative proteins to make better use of the planet’s resources.
Nestlé Purina EMENA director of Insight and Innovation Olena Topilnytska said: “As a business, we are always exploring ways in which we can grow. But in order to do so responsibly, it is essential that we seek opportunities to make a positive difference throughout our activities, from sourcing to product portfolio. This is why LiveLab identified upcycling as such an exciting and important avenue to explore within the pet care sector.
“Upcycling means taking ingredients that otherwise would be wasted and turning them into new nutritious products. Through the upcycling of surplus grains from breweries, we are able to create a nutritious treat for dogs that reduces waste and provides a more sustainable option for consumers.”
