Daniel Kurzrock

One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am – a reluctant enthusiast….a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic.

Edward Abbey

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Daniel Kurzrock, co-founder of Regrained, on edible upcycling, how social entrepreneurship is changing the way business is done today, and Jewish summer camps

“Social entrepreneurship isn’t a fad, I think it’s here to stay. I hope if we are successful it will just become business as usual and companies that aren’t doing the right thing will suffer in the marketplace because of it…because as consumers, we give a shit and that’s great.”

Profile: Daniel Kurzrock,
Regrained Co-Founder

Eat Beer.

1. City of residence: San Francisco

2. Place of birth: Los Angeles

3. In under five sentences, define your business: We’re creating the circular economy for food. ReGrained is a local San Francisco mission-driven brand that creates tasty and nutritious food out of upcycled supergrain that we rescue from craft breweries. Our mission is to simultaneously reduce waste and feed people–starting with three flavors of snack bars. Each bar is unique with bold flavors, functional benefits, and wrapped in planet-friendly compostable wrappers.

4. What social or environmental impact is your business making? Lots to say here, but broadly, we believe in the power of business to address the current environmental crisis.

Core to our business is the model of edible upcycling. Upcycling is a challenge to reimagine an end as a beginning. It is that “aha!” moment when your old climbing rope becomes your new dog leash, or when that empty jam jar becomes your favorite cup. “Edible Upcycling” applies this mindset to food. Edible upcyclers look at what is left behind when making our favorite foods and see opportunity.

ReGrained’s mission: To rescue those overlooked, but awesome ingredients and put them back to work—fueling your day, your taste buds, and your imagination. We are raising the bar on sustainable nutrition by creating something so delicious and nutritious, you cannot help but snack sustainably.

Responsible packaging is also key to our mission. Each bar is wrapped in planet-friendly backyard compostable wrappers.

Confirming our commitment to impact, We’re a B Corp and 1% For the Planet members.

5. Out of all the products you produce, which is your favorite? Why? My favorites are still in R&D! But, of our 3 bar flavors, the new Blueberry Sunflower Saison is hard to beat, especially with that nice savory ginger touch.

6. What book(s) are you currently reading? I’m in the middle of The Boys in the Boat right now. Awesome historical non-fiction, and also offers some great business metaphors.

7. Quote you (try to) live by? Lots of favorites, but this Edward Abbey quote is one I return to often:

“One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am – a reluctant enthusiast….a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards.” – Edward Abbey

8. Using one word, how would you describe yourself? Hyperactive.

9. What is one random fact that most people don’t know about you? I’m a total music freak. Also, I can turn almost any leftover into a burrito.