GTF Technologies, a manufacturer of innovative low temperature food drying systems based in Ada, Michigan, was a finalist in the Accelerator 100+ programme — a global initiative led by six major consumer goods companies aimed at scaling sustainable innovation across supply chains. Selected from more than 2,500 applicants, GTF was among 24 finalists to present at the sixth 100+ Accelerator Demo Day in London in November last year.

The company’s selection was based on a collaboration with AB InBev that produced what is claimed to be the world’s first plastic pallet and shrink-wrap incorporating brewer’s spent grain (BSG) – a high-volume byproduct of the brewing process that is typically discarded or used as low-value animal feed.

From byproduct to functional material

GTF’s proprietary drying technology converts wet byproducts into stable, nutrient-rich powders in under one second. The system is fully electric and designed to integrate directly into existing processing lines, making it suitable for retrofitting within food and beverage manufacturing facilities.

In the BSG application, wet spent grain is dried and milled into a flour that can serve either as a high-protein, high-fibre food ingredient or as a base material for polymer composites. The resulting BSG-incorporated pallet and shrink-wrap were shown to meet AB InBev’s performance specifications whilst displacing a proportion of conventional plastic. According to GTF, each tonne of plastic replaced with BSG eliminates up to 85% of the associated carbon impact.

GTF Technologies’ plastic pallet and shrink wrap incorporating brewer’s spent grain

Addressing food waste at manufacturing scale

The food and beverage sector generates significant quantities of processing by-products. Across the industry, an estimated 40–60% of raw materials can become waste or low-value co-products. When sent to landfill, food waste is responsible for approximately 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 57% of methane output.

Gary Schuler, Founder and President of GTF Technologies, commented: “At scale, our technology enables manufacturers to reduce food waste, create new revenue streams from co-products, and make measurable progress on emissions reduction – using the resources they already have.”

Scalable applications beyond brewing

GTF has identified further applications for the same drying platform across fruit and vegetable processing streams, including pomace, peels and pits. The company is working with manufacturers globally to develop ingredient and packaging applications from materials previously treated as waste.

The 100+ Accelerator programme has supported 190 companies across 40 countries since launching in 2018. Its FMCG partners include AB InBev, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Colgate-
Palmolive, Danone and Mondelez International.

For more information, visit: www.gtf-technologies.com