October 21, 2025 – Rohlik Group, Europe’s leading online grocery retailers, is setting a new standard for food sustainability by launching the first-ever dedicated Upcycled Food category across all five of its markets. With this initiative, Rohlik Group becomes the first retailer in Europe to offer customers a wide assortment of food made from upcycled ingredients, giving surplus materials a second life and helping to reduce food waste.
Upcycling: giving food a second life
Upcycling transforms surplus or by-products from food production – think spent grains from breweries, “imperfect” fruit, or leftover bread – into high-quality, delicious products like granola, sauces, snacks, and beverages. It’s not just waste reduction. It’s a smarter, more circular food system. “Upcycling is no longer a niche. It’s becoming a foundation for future food systems,” says Júlia Dalmadi, Founder & CEO, TransFoodMission. “Launching Europe’s first dedicated upcycled category in CZ proved that consumers are ready, and the impact data speaks for itself. Scaling across all Rohlik markets shows what’s possible when retailers take leadership: measurable waste reduction, supplier engagement, innovation, and consumer trust all at once.”
From Czech pilot to European expansion
The upcycled category was first introduced on Rohlik.cz in 2024, and after 12 months, the impact is clear: the category generated €336,000 in net sales, with over 87,000 products sold, rescuing 19 tonnes of ingredients that would have otherwise gone to waste – resulting in a reduction of 104 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, equivalent to taking more than 20 cars off the road for a year. The initiative was recognized with the Sustainability Star Award in April 2025. Based on this success, Rohlik has now scaled the category across all its markets – Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Germany, and Romania – offering over 200 upcycled SKUs from 55 brands.
More than just theory – real products, real innovation
This is not just another private label line. It’s a curated ecosystem of partners and innovations. More than half of the products are exclusive to Rohlik, and many were developed with small, agile local producers. Country-specific favorites bring together the best of local food culture with cutting-edge circularity.
In-house innovation that hits trends
Rohlik isn’t just sourcing upcycled products – it’s creating them. The Group’s Czech team has already launched several of its own surplus-based innovations, including:
- Craft beer brewed from surplus bread
- Non-alcoholic beverages from rescued ingredients
- High-protein ice cream using upcycled sources
This proves that upcycling isn’t only about sustainability – it’s a playground for food trends like high-protein, plant-based, and alcohol-free. “Rather than adding yet another private label product to an already crowded shelf, it makes more sense to rework what we already have and collaborate with small, flexible suppliers,” says Mariana Sochorova, Strategic Project Manager at Rohlik Group. “By building a dedicated upcycled category with a variety of brands, we offer real innovation, support local producers, and integrate sustainability in a way that’s both scalable and meaningful.”
A step toward a greener grocery experience
The upcycled food market is booming – valued at $53.7 billion in 2021, projected to hit $97 billion by 2031 (CAGR 6.2%). In the U.S., 70% of consumers say they’re more interested in buying upcycled products, and 62% are willing to pay more for them.
By pioneering this category at scale, Rohlik is doing what it does best: turning complex challenges into convenient, customer-friendly solutions. It’s not about greenwashing. It’s about real impact. “We want to fight food waste – we’re already around 0.4% at the Group level, but there are still areas to improve,” adds Katarzyna Kiwalska, Group ESG Manager at Rohlik. “Upcycling is one way to go even further.”