Meet the Makers Mini Interview: Susgrainable
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Susgrainable Mini Interview
Clinton and Marc are the enterprising duo behind Susgrainable—a Vancouver company on a mission to build healthier communities, healthier people, and a healthier planet by upcycling food waste before it enters landfills. These superheroes rescue spent grain from local craft breweries and transform it into flour and low-sugar baking mixes, retaining the high fibre, protein and minerals that would otherwise go to waste. Read on for the inspirational story of how these business partners came together to form a successful company making a real impact on the issue of food waste.
Share your story with us in 150 words or less.
Our story begins during my time as a MBA student at UBC Sauder. During one of my (Marc’s) classes, we were to identify an issue and create a possible business solution for the problem. A colleague who came from Vancouver’s craft beer industry mentioned the problem breweries were having with disposing their spent grain byproduct. Realizing the byproduct, being high in fiber, is exactly what Canadians needed more of in their diets, we figured tackling 2 big problems with one simple solution was a worthwhile venture. After my MBA was complete, myself, Clinton, and Angela turned the school project into Susgrainable.
Today, we continue to rescue spent grains from craft brewers to create nutritious, delicious, and easy-to-make flours and baking mixes. We upcycle beer “waste” to create fun and healthy treats for the whole family, and with our circular business model our bold vision is to create a world where food waste and diabetes are a thing of the past.
Getting from an idea to a small business is a lot of work! When did it first sink in for you that ‘this is really happening’?
At our first Vancouver Farmers’ Market in 2018, we knew we were onto something as people showered us with positive feedback and wanted to see us succeed to the extent that we had to hire a baker to keep up with demand. Once we realized that there was both a market for our products—baked goods made with our flour—and that our story resonated with people, it hit us that our potential business venture could become a reality. Thereafter, combining Clinton’s operational and HR background with Marc’s innovative ideas and background in health and exercise—along with a bite of passion and purpose—we created our first product, Upcycled Barley Flour, which gave us the confidence that our idea was viable.
Out of all your products, which is your personal favourite and why?
Marc: Banana Bread Mix
Clinton: Pancake + Waffle Mix
Marc loves our banana bread mix because its easy to make, its healthy benefits support his active lifestyle as a recreational soccer player, and it offers a comforting and flavorful taste. Making banana bread only requires four things: our banana bread baking mix, butter, eggs, and bananas, which is great for people like Marc who may not have much experience in baking or who are short on time. With our upcycled flour being high in protein and bananas being a good source of vitamins and minerals, including potassium and vitamin C, upcycled banana bread makes for a nutritious meal, supporting people who prioritize their health and wellness, all while offering a familiar and comforting taste as banana bread is a classic and beloved baked good. Lastly, Marc loves that this product rescues both bananas from your freezer along with the spent grain—it's like double the upcycling!
Clinton loves our pancake + waffle mix because it’s a nutritious comfort food, a family friendly option, and a versatile mix. Sometimes after a hard day of work you just need to relax and pancakes or waffles make for a great comfort food as they’re light, warm, and fluffy. We often feel guilty eating comfort foods but our upcycled mixes have 8 grams of protein, 7 grams of fiber, and only 5 grams of sugar. Pancakes or waffles make for a great guilt free treat whether they’re for breakfast or dinner. As someone who loves spending time with his family, our pancake and waffle mixes make a great option for weekend breakfasts or brunches with family and friends that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
What motivates you on a day-to-day basis?
Our main motivation lies in building a more resilient and sustainable food system. As believers and advocators of circular business systems, our business model is inspired by the three principles of the circular economy: eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials, and regenerating natural systems. We are building healthier communities, healthier people, and a healthier planet by upcycling food waste before it enters landfills. Our baking mixes and premium baked goods fight both food waste and high sugar/low fiber diets, helping us on our mission to create a world where food waste and diabetes are a thing of the past.
What’s your favourite thing about the town or city you live in?
We love living in Vancouver because of the amazing, friendly, and welcoming Vancouverites who live here, and because of the city’s strong commitment to sustainability and being eco-friendly which expands into local university programs like UBC Sauder and the professional scene, making Vancouver a leader in ESG globally.
Describe your ideal Sunday morning, including your breakfast.
It honestly depends on my week. When it’s been a bit lower key, I love to get in some physical activity on the weekends. Whether that be snowboarding in the winter or tennis in the summer. If that’s the case, I’ll grab a Susgrainable cookie and a piece of fruit with my coffee before I head out the door.
If it’s been a busy week, sometimes a lazy Sunday is necessary. If that’s the case, I’ll opt for the pancake and waffle mix – but I like to have fun with it. For example, we once made an eggs benny with a Susgrainable onion and garlic infused pancake as the base which was soooo tasty!
Since the rest of the week is more scheduled, ideally I like to keep Sunday flexible and use that day to find balance!
What are your personal top three tips for feeling amazing?
-Take care of your physical health by eating a healthy and balanced diet (don’t forget the fiber), getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly.
-Cultivate positive relationships with the people around you. Humans are social creatures and spending time to nurture positive relationships will only help your mental health, overall happiness, and prevent depressed times in your life being prolonged.
-Setting achievable goals can help you feel more in control of your life and keep you motivated by giving yourself a sense of purpose. Sometimes we just need purpose to get out of a rut in life.