Renewal Mill launches new products, expands Whole Foods partnership

Its gluten-free upcycled flours, made from leftover soymilk and oat milk pulps, are used in its baking mixes.

Company: Renewal Mill

Introduced: June 2022

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail Price: $8.39

Product Snapshot: Renewal Mill has launched six new items at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide this June, building on its previous distribution as a local brand in Whole Foods Northern California.

Named to the Whole Foods Top 10 Trend list in 2021, Renewal Mill has spent the last few years commercializing its gluten-free upcycled flours, made from the nutritious pulps leftover when soymilk and oat milk are made. The company, run by co-founders Caroline Cotto and Claire Schlemme, uses these flours in award-winning vegan baking mixes, one of which received a NEXT at the 2022 Expo West for “Best New Planet-Forward Product.” The brand is a founding member of the Upcycled Food Association, and one of the first to achieve the third-party-audited Upcycled Certified designation.

Products launching in all 11 regions of Whole Foods this month include three flours, the flagship Organic Okara Flour, Oat Milk Flour, and 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, and three baking mixes—Dark Chocolate Brownie, Oat Chocolate Chip Cookie, and Sugar Cookie. The okara flour is a keto-friendly alternative for coconut flour, while the oat milk flour has more than 31g of plant-based protein per ½ cup serving. The baking mix line is 100% vegan, gluten-free, and easy-to-use, just requiring oil and water. All mixes were crafted by the 5x James Beard Award-Winning cookbook author Alice Medrich, whose expertise lies in alternative flours and chocolate.

Renewal Mill, known for its partnership strategy—which includes co-branded product launches with plant-based butter maven Miyoko’s Creamery, ice cream maker Salt & Straw, and most recently Williams-Sonoma’s new Seed & Harvest line—is thrilled to add Whole Foods to this list in a more meaningful capacity. “Whole Foods is synonymous with innovation and quality standards,” said Renewal Mill co-founder Caroline Cotto. “We’re energized by the fact that Whole Foods has decided to go all-in on backing the upcycled food movement and help shepherd in a new age where food waste is an issue of the past.”

The company joins the growing ranks of Upcycled Certified products gracing Whole Foods’ shelves including Blue Stripes Urban Cacao, Pulp Pantry, Chia Smash, Superfrau, Shameless Pets, and many more. “This launch marks not only a significant milestone in the history of our company,” Claire Schlemme, CEO, said. “It’s also a turning point for how CPG food thinks about sustainability at large, and that is what’s super exciting!”

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