This Vegan Cookie Collab Made is Fighting Against Food Waste

Although plant-based food production is significantly less wasteful than its animal-based counterpart, there is still waste involved. Miyoko’s Creamery and the upcycling brand Renewal Mill just announced that they will team up to further minimize food waste in the plant-based sector. The two companies co-developed a new vegan cookie using Renewal Mill’s upcycled okara flour – the byproduct of soy milk production – and leftover vegan butter from Miyoko’s Creamery production runs.

By producing the new plant-based cookies, the companies will minimize waste from the plant-based sector, setting a new standard for sustainability within the market. Together, the brands released two cookie flavors including Salted Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip. Soon, the companies intend to release a Snickerdoodle variety. Customers can purchase these cookies for $2.99 from Renewal Mill’s website.

“What a dream come true to have a partner like Renewal Mill, [which] is revolutionizing the industry by finding delicious homes for rescued ingredients like our end-of-run butter,” Director of Sustainability at Miyoko’s Creamery Jennifer Kaplan said in a statement. “We can’t wait for everyone to try our collaborative peanut butter cookie and taste how great doing good can be.”

Cookies That Fight Against Food Waste

Miyoko’s and Renewal Mill created these sustainable cookies with the help of James Beard Award-winning chef Alice Medrich. Medrich currently works as a product developer for Renewal Mill and helped to craft the recipe for the collaborative cookie. The esteemed chef created the recipe to fight food waste, further innovating sustainable plant-based industries.

“According to Project Drawdown, a leading climate change research organization, reducing food waste and eating a more plant-rich diet are two of the top three things we can do to stay below two degrees of global climate warming,” Renewal Mill co-founder Caroline Cotto said in a statement. “Creating artisan cookies made with Renewal Mill’s upcycled ingredients and Miyoko’s Creamery’s plant milk butter is a delicious way to help achieve both of these goals and to put power back into the hands of consumers to make a difference.”

The Miyoko’s Creamery x Renewal Mill cookies will help promote sustainable foods for all customers, vegan or non-vegan. The two companies highlight how animal-based food production presents severe dangers to the planet. One recent study claimed that animal agriculture is potentially responsible for 87 percent of food-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Miyoko Schinner’s Plant-Based Endeavors

Miyoko Schinner – founder and CEO of Miyoko’s Creamery – continues to fight against major animal agriculture giants to help promote plant-based eating and production. Last year, Schinner won a lawsuit filed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund after a dispute with the California Department of Food and Agriculture regarding the right to use “butter” and “dairy” on her vegan products. Schinner’s victory in court set a precedent to protect plant-based labeling for companies nationwide.

This April, Schinner teamed up with Mercy for Animals and Animal Outlook to launch a toolkit designed to help farmers transition away from industrial animal agriculture and grow crops instead. The Farmer Toolkit will help farms move away from animal agriculture – a sector that often overlooks the needs of farmers. The program will help farmers protect their farms while adopting more sustainable food production practices.

Schinner is also helping plant-based consumers from the comfort of their homes. Last November, Schinner launched her first vegan cooking show on YouTube to help home chefs prepare dishes with her company's signature plant-based butter. The Vegan Butter Channel features several plant-based recipes, assistance from acclaimed chefs, and tips on how to cook plant-based and more sustainably as easily as possible.

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