Natural Upcycling receives investment boost

Linwood, New York-based food and organics recycling service provider Natural Upcycling has received investment backing from Denver-based Trailcreek Capital Group and North Carolina-based Plexus Capital.

The two investors say the transaction took place in partnership with dairy farm subsidiary Noblehurst Green Energy, also based in Linwood, and Natural Upcycling co-founder and CEO Harry Cohen. Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Founded in 2014, Natural Upcycling offers its food and organics recycling services in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The firm is led by Cohen and co-founder and chief financial officer Chris Noble.

Says Cohen, “I am very pleased to announce the investment by Trailcreek and Plexus alongside Noblehurst and myself. We have an opportunity to advance the company’s scale and capabilities to better service our customers and industry partners. The collective experience of our management team and investment group provides an excellent foundation for the future.”

Noble comments, “Trailcreek and Plexus are aligned with our view that the food waste recycling industry has reached a critical development stage – requiring professional management and investment capital in order to scale the solutions needed to service the entire food supply chain. Not only are we recycling a valuable resource, but when collected at scale, this food waste can also be used to catalyze successful renewable energy projects, such as the one owned by our partner Noblehurst Green Energy.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Harry Cohen, Chris Noble and the rest of the management team to build the leading platform in the food and organics recycling sector,” says Andrew Pozatek, managing principal of Trailcreek. “Harry and Chris have been scaling the company into an industry leader for almost a decade and bring a caliber, mindset and entrepreneurial rigor to an industry undergoing rapid transformation and growth. Furthermore, we are highly motivated to help customers reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food waste.”

Natural Upcycling says it will continue to seek acquisition opportunities in the food and organics recycling industry, particularly those located in its home Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

The company describes itself as involved in the sustainable organics management industry, including food waste collection, depackaging, recycling, anaerobic digestion (AD), certification, facilities management and zero waste consulting.