A Circular Economy Example in Toronto: From Spent Grain to Sourdough
The Spent Goods Company is a Toronto-based circular economy example that transforms spent brewery grain, a byproduct of craft beer production, into artisan sourdough bread instead of sending it to landfill. This keeps valuable food resources circulating locally rather than following the traditional “take-make-dispose” model.
What Is a Circular Economy?
A circular economy is a system that keeps materials in use for as long as possible through recycling, repairing, reusing, or repurposing, eliminating waste at the design stage rather than after the fact. The City of Toronto has formally committed to this model through its 10-Year Circular Economy Road Map, aiming to reduce landfill waste and build a more resilient local economy.
How do we transform Spent Grain to Sourdough?
- Every year, we’ve guestimated 16,000,000 kilograms of brewery grain end up in Ontario landfills.
- That volume could produce two loaves of sourdough for every Ontario resident, every week, for a year.
- Spent grain contains roughly twice the fibre and protein of standard wheat, making it a nutritional upgrade, not just a waste fix.
To make baked goods, Spent Goods facilitates the sourcing of spent grains from craft breweries to artisan bakeries.
Spent Goods handles sales and distribution of baked goods via online, physical retails and farmer’s markets.
Why Barley Grains?
Every year, 16,000,000 kilograms of brewery grains end up in Ontario landfills.
With that, we could produce two loaves of sourdough for every resident of Ontario…. every week for a year!
Not to mention, these brewery grains have twice the amount of fibre and protein compared to standard wheat.
Local economy
By partnering craft breweries, which supply spent grain, with bakeries that transform it into bread, we’re turning a significant urban waste stream into a local food solution. Rather than trucking spent grains from craft breweries to landfills or animal farms hours outside the city, we feed people locally and help build a more resilient local food supply.
We believe that when local businesses collaborate, everyone wins.
Local businesses realize cost savings / generate revenue / promote a sustainable lifestyle through sale of Spent Goods.
What are we doing that is unique?
We’re food transformers – when we see spent grains, we don’t see the traditional linear way of single use and then disposal to landfill or use as animal feed.
Instead, we’re finding practical, multiple uses for spent grains, prior to disposal.
In addition to incorporating spent grains into sourdough, spent grains can also be transformed into corrugated cardboard. Imagine the impact that Amazon would have if they used cardboard that incorporated even a small percentage of spent grains!
Thus, we’re expanding the functionality (and perceived value) of spent grains while feeding people.
Why This Matters for Toronto’s Circular Economy Goals
City of Toronto‘s own research found that 88 local businesses are already operating circular economy models across the city, and the Circle Economy Foundation has recognized Spent Goods specifically as a case study in reusing spent grain from breweries to make nutritious food. This directly supports the city’s push to divert waste from landfill and build local material-reuse loops.
Our Verified Impact
Since 2018, Spent Goods’ spent grain-to-bread model has offset greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to a car driving around the circumference of the Earth, while supporting Toronto-area businesses and creating full-time equivalent jobs. These figures are tracked and published on our Impact page, giving Torontonians and researchers a transparent, ongoing record of this circular economy model in action.