Mohammed Ashour is not accustomed to running a traditional business. When he co-founded Aspire Food Group, a cricket protein manufacturer, in 2013, he often encountered puzzled looks when he explained his work. However, in the past two years, perspectives have shifted. “There’s a growing recognition that our planet is facing both rapid population growth and increased meat consumption, while simultaneously depleting our resources,” Ashour remarked, highlighting the rising social awareness surrounding insects as a sustainable food source. “Now, I think the idea has become more normalized.”
Originally, Aspire Food Group marketed insect snacks online, but the Canadian firm has transitioned to focus on cricket protein powder, reportedly becoming the largest supplier in the ingredient sector. Ashour noted that approximately 80% of the company’s cricket protein inventory is used for pet food, although it is also suitable for human consumption, with an increasing interest in its use as a food ingredient. In October, Aspire announced plans to construct the world’s largest insect protein facility in Ontario, Canada, capable of producing 20,000 metric tons of food-grade cricket protein and frass—cricket waste utilized as fertilizer—annually.
Ashour stated that the insect industry is witnessing a significant influx of capital, with Aspire raising $21.6 million in funding to date, based on Crunchbase data. Consumers are also paying attention; for example, the startup Chirps, known for its cricket flour-based high-protein chips featured on Shark Tank, is currently sold out of its cricket protein powder and chocolate chip cricket cookie mix. According to Grand View Research, the global insect protein market was valued at $250 million in 2020 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 27.4% from 2021 to 2028. As serious consumers seek new protein sources, companies are shifting their marketing strategies away from presenting insect products as novelty items.
“Five years ago, there were still many gimmicky products,” Ashour said. “However, heightened awareness of climate change, especially during COVID, has made our work not only reasonable but incredibly timely, almost like an intervention.” Once viewed with skepticism by American consumers, there is now a surge of interest in incorporating insects into products ranging from snacks to protein powders. Survey data from Aspire and the North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture (NACIA) indicates that around 50% of Western consumers are open to including insects in their diets. Additionally, a study from Oklahoma State University found that approximately one-third of over 1,000 U.S. participants would consider consuming cricket-containing foods, provided they taste good and are safe.
As sustainability becomes a key factor in purchasing decisions, insect protein presents a significant opportunity for market expansion. According to the cricket ingredient brand Exo, crickets are up to 20 times more efficient to cultivate compared to cattle, requiring significantly less land and feed. For instance, producing one pound of crickets necessitates just 8 square meters of land, contrasted with the 115 square meters required for a pound of beef.
Consumers concerned about the adverse climate effects of animal protein, particularly beef, are increasingly willing to try previously off-putting alternatives, as noted by Goggy Davidowitz, a professor of entomology at the University of Arizona. “While insects won’t replace steaks, reducing our steak consumption could lead to significant changes,” Davidowitz explained.
Despite considerable interest from major consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies like PepsiCo in the potential of insects as food, the current market lacks the infrastructure for large-scale CPG product development. Jeff Tomberlin, an entomology professor and lead researcher at Texas A&M’s Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming, which opened last year, is focusing on optimizing insect production processes to enhance cost-effectiveness. CPG firms including Tyson Foods and Mars have invested in and partnered with the center.
According to NACIA’s interim executive director, Wendy Lu McGill, the insect food industry currently employs around 1,000 individuals in North America, a number that has quintupled since 2018. Furthermore, 60% of brands plan to expand their operations in 2022, as indicated by NACIA’s 2021 market research survey. Entosense, a Maine-based insect protein company producing cricket, mealworm, and black ant snacks, has seen substantial growth in the past year. President Bill Broadbent shared that their Kickers Crickets roasted snacks come in flavors like orange creamsicle, cotton candy, and mango habanero. The company anticipates its products will be available in over 1,000 stores by this spring, and over 2,500 by early next year.
While some companies aim to move beyond the novelty perception of insects, Entosense embraces it. “Our perspective is that even if it’s seen as a novelty, it encourages people to try them,” Broadbent stated. The most commonly utilized insects in mainstream products are crickets and mealworms, both of which possess a mild umami flavor that can be enhanced with stronger seasonings. Broadbent explained that crickets provide an interesting texture due to their crunchiness, while mealworms offer a slightly chewy consistency.
Crickets continue to be the most favored insect protein, thanks to their novelty and wide availability as an ingredient. They also offer nutritional advantages, containing high levels of zinc and potassium, with cricket flour providing 12 to 20 grams of protein per 100-gram serving. Research from Maastricht University indicates that mealworms exhibit attributes similar to milk protein.
Other insects could help brands stand out in the market. Broadbent noted that black ants are particularly easy to pair with citrus flavors due to their natural taste. He also mentioned that black soldier fly larvae, not yet utilized in human food, possess unique qualities; they grow rapidly and consume twice their weight daily, which facilitates their transition into human snacks.
In addition to their sustainability and nutritional benefits, insects may also aid in managing specific medical conditions. Roger Clemens, associate director of the regulatory science program at the University of Southern California’s School of Pharmacy, suggested that the exoskeleton of larger crickets could serve as a scaffold for nerve regeneration in spinal cord injury patients.
However, Clemens emphasized that scientific evidence is crucial for the commercialization of insect products. “Regulatory bodies must apply existing food safety standards, and if necessary, implement additional requirements to ensure insect-derived food products are safe,” he stated. The question of regulatory approval for consuming insects in the U.S. remains unresolved. Presently, the FDA does not officially regulate insects as food ingredients, though they have been considered “food” in certain contexts. In contrast, the European Union recently approved crickets, mealworms, and grasshoppers for human consumption. Davidowitz believes U.S. approval is imminent, given the rapid growth in the sector. “Like any emerging industry, there’s a lag before regulatory agencies catch up,” he remarked. “I have no doubt it will happen soon; this market is too significant to ignore.”
In summary, the insect protein industry is poised for growth, driven by sustainability concerns and changing consumer attitudes. As companies innovate and regulatory frameworks evolve, products rich in nutrients like calcium citrate and calcium carbonate may become commonplace, further enhancing the appeal of this burgeoning market.