Family-run start-up BiaSol has launched its first product, made using spent brewing grains – Super Milled Grains.
The zero-waste brand was set up by sustainably-focused sibling entrepreneurs, Niamh Dooley (28) and Ruairi Dooley (31) in July 2020, as a way of combating food wastage, improving nutrition and bringing their family closer together. Back then Ruairi was living in Sydney, Australia, while his sister Niamh was at home in Athlone.
Niamh’s interest in sustainability had grown as a result of working in a vegan food truck during her travels in Canada. The pair started researching sustainable food sources and came to the realisation that repurposing food waste was a viable way to make a positive impact on the environment.
Encouraged by the rapid growth of craft brewing across Ireland, they launched BiaSol based around the concept of repurposing brewers’ spent grain – a by-product of the industry that accounts for 85% of all brewing waste – and using it to create a range of zero waste products.
The first of those, Super Milled Grains, which has been in development for the last eighteen months with the support of Enterprise Ireland, has recently resulted in BiaSol becoming certified as Ireland’s first official member of the Upcycled Food Association.
Each week the pair collect as much as four tonnes of wet spent grains from four different local craft breweries – St. Mels (Longford), Dead Centre Brewing (Athlone), Bru Brewery (Trim), and Ballykilcavan (Stradbally) – which they then dry, mill and pack in their 2,000 sq. ft premises in Tullamore.
Using a tablespoon of Super Milled Grains in everything from soups, sauces and baking, to a bowl of porridge or smoothie provides 10% of the recommended daily fibre intake. It also enhances recipes with a malty and nutty flavour, and rich brown colour.
As well as being high in fibre, the Super Milled Grains are also high in protein and contain prebiotic fibres, B vitamins, and minerals; calcium, zinc, and iron.
Commenting on the launch of their Super Milled Grains, Co-Founder, Niamh Dooley, said: “It is very exciting to see our vision coming to life. We want to make sustainable choices easy and accessible to consumers whilst ensuring our products have a high nutritional value.”
BiaSol’s Super Milled Grains are available to purchase online from www.biasol.ie in 200g packs (100% compostable packaging) priced at €5.99 each (plus €1.99 delivery). They are also stocked in a number of leading independent food stores across the country.
The start-up has also incorporated their Super Milled Grains into a range of baking mixes, including a Granny’s Soda Bread Mix (475g), a Savoury Scone Mix (400g), a Craft Cookie Mix (400g), and a Power Pancake Mix (145g).
Professional chefs and bakers can order larger quantities directly from BiaSol and through nationwide distributor, La Rousse Foods.
This content was originally published here.
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