The Market Potential of Grape Waste Alternatives

During wine production, approximately 25% of the grape weight results in by-product/waste (termed ‘pomace’ which is comprised of skins and seeds). Currently, most pomace is being composted to be reintroduced into the vineyards to complete the carbon cycle. Due to the increasing consumer demand for the use of natural over synthetic compounds, and because of increased attention to sustainability of agricultural practices (Fontana, Antoniolli, & Bottini, 2013), there is a vast array of applications for grape pomacebioactives including: functional foods (dietary fiber + polyphenols), food processing (biosurfactants), cosmetics (grapeseed oil + antioxidants), pharmaceutical/biomedical (pullulan) and supplements (grape pomace powder). To date, there has been no assessment as to the market potential for value-added usage of grape pomace. This paper seeks to address this gap. The annual production of grape pomace along with its multitude of applications, create an opportunity to discover an unexploited market with great commercial potential.