What is upcycled ingredients? Well, that's a great question and many people may not realize that food waste is quickly becoming a global issue. The United States discards more than 63 million tons of food waste each year. Upcycling takes the items that may have been thrown away, discarded or not used to send to grocery and then uses those items as ingredients to make new, healthier products. The process of food waste happens at every step along the way from harvesting, post harvesting, processing, distribution and consumption. That's where shameless pets developed their idea and the company was formed.