Upcycled Snack Project: A Mighty Ally for Troubled Producers

Since 2016, Snaq Me has been delivering original snacks regularly through its subscription service at snaq.me, following its philosophy of “making snacks and the world more fun.”

The snack range comprises around 100 varieties. It prioritizes the minimal use of additives and emphasizes the ingredients’ natural flavors for safety and peace of mind. Throughout its product development journey, Snaq Me has collaborated with over 200 producers.

“We’ve developed over 2,300 snacks since our official launch seven years ago, and in 2022, we opened a permanent store in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Koto Ward,” says public relations manager Akane Kusano. Currently, “snaq.me” has over 150,000 members (*total as of August 2022), many of whom are women.

Snaq Me not only provides its regular snack delivery service but also invests in the Upcycled Snack Project. The project aims to decrease food waste by creating snacks from vegetables and fruits that would otherwise go to waste. The idea behind upcycling is not just reusing food but also giving it new value.

Up Granola, the first of the “Upcycled Snacks” series, is a dish of toasted off-spec oats, cashews, and dried pineapples, with honey and white sesame oil added. You can enjoy it any way you like, whether plain or with milk.

Akane recalls being particularly impressed by the Up Grape Cake. As a result of the downpour in Fukuoka Prefecture in August 2021, grapes produced in Ukiha had no buyers. When Snaq Me learned of the situation through its members, it immediately responded with rescue measures. Through an intermediary, the company approached growers to develop a snack using grapes that had been destined for disposal. This led to the creation of Up Grape Cake.

Snaq Me has also developed a range of other upcycled snacks. Here are some of them.

Upcycled Strawberry and Custard Pie
The pie features off-spec strawberries from Miyazaki Prefecture, including Yumenoka and Saga Honoka. The blend of the strawberries’ moderate acidity and the custard cream’s sweetness creates a perfect union.

Upcycled Strawberry Milk Mix Comparer
The set includes intensely sweet Strawberry Sauce and Double Berry Sauce with added raspberries. When mixed with milk, they create delicious strawberry milk. They are also made using off-spec Yumenoka and Saga Honoka, both grown in Miyazaki Prefecture.

Up Pineapple Cake
The cake uses upcycled premium dried pineapples made from split and cracked pineapples. Pineapple jam made with dried pineapple and Sensoto (light brown sugar) from sugarcane grown on Tanegashima Island are baked in a dough with a hint of coconut.

Up Sweet Potato Kohakuto
Making dried sweet potatoes inevitably leads to leftover scraps, which are repurposed by Snaq Me to make kohakuto. Enjoy the crispy exterior and chewy center.

Many upcycled snacks are developed at unpredictable times and must be commercialized quickly before the ingredients expire. This is because many foods are often discarded for unforeseen reasons, as exemplified by the case of the grape cake. Ideally, the snacks should help reduce food waste without the person realizing it, according to Akane. In addition, customers can now donate their leftover snaq.me snacks to children in social service centers and orphanages using the return envelope enclosed with regular subscription products.

Snaq Me will continue to give new value to food and ingredients that have lost their buyers.