There are more than 16,000 species of edible insects worldwide. They’re plentiful, thrive in congested habitats, and, contrasting to conventional agricultural practices, produce minimal amounts of greenhouse emissions.
Those are a few of the many reasons why the global edible insect industry is booming. Consumers are gradually becoming aware of the nutritional benefits of eating insects, contributing to an estimated 47% annual market growth, which is projected to exceed $1.5 billion by 2026.
Bangkok-based startup Exofood plans to capitalize on this growing trend with its insect shop/laboratory opening. The company, co-founded by Chonticha Sujitalom and Athivach Pongsattasin, is still in its early stages and is focused on producing food-grade insects for human and pet consumption.
The company’s first target market is exotic pet owners who want a specific and high-quality feed from a reliable, sustainable source. However, the lab’s long-term goal is to create insect-inspired cuisine for humans, which would be for sale at the adjoining insect shop.
Exofood Retail Lab
Exofood’s multi-purpose space, designed by interior architects Space + Craft, is located in a residential downtown area of Bangkok called Phasi Charoen.
While most countries are starting to become accustomed to the idea of eating insects, others like Thailand are well familiarized with eating bugs and often sell them at markets. Exofood’s retail lab will be the first time they are sold in an ultra-modern and trendy laboratory rather than at street stalls.
Inside the lab, vertical shelving units are stacked with crates of insects on one wall, making the most of the limited space. The shelf’s diving columns are built from Zinc frames, with bright yellow strips of color emphasizing each compartment.
Rows of Fluorescent lights shielded behind polycarbonate panels line the ceiling in a wavy formation, giving the space a futuristic feeling. The area has an industrial, clean, and orderly appearance.
The lab will allow visitors to observe the scientific process and learn more about insects’ nutritional benefits, provided they wash their hands and wear Exofood’s sanitary shoes. The company hopes to lure customers to its business by allowing them to visit the lab and learn first-hand about the insects they are eating.
Benefits Of Eating Insects
Insects are enjoyed as a source of micronutrients and protein across Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Around 150 different species (mostly wild-harvested) are consumed in Thailand alone.
One grasshopper contains up to 28g of protein. That’s 60% of the recommended daily intake for an adult! Crickets’ protein content is two to three times higher than beef and has higher levels of omega-3, omega-6, amino acids, dietary fibers, and potassium. Beetles, crickets, and caterpillars are also excellent sources of nutrients, along with red ants, which offer an exceptionally high dose of iron.
Beyond their health benefits, edible insect production is a sustainable solution to feeding the world’s growing population. More than 805 million people are underfed and suffer from malnourishment, while every ten seconds, a child dies from hunger. Protein-packed insects have the potential to offer a sustainable and inexpensive means of meeting global nutrition needs, as well as cutting emissions and food waste.
Insect farming requires less feed, water, energy, and land, than other protein-rich livestock options and are much easier to transport. To produce 100g of crickets, only 200g of food is needed, compared to 2.4kg of feed to create 100g of beef. On top of that, insects reproduce very fast and have 80% edible parts, compared to 40% in conventional meat sources.
Exofood’s ultimate plan is to provide an alternative nutritional option that boosts environmental sustainability.
Athivach explained:
Once we reach our first goal of producing food-grade insects, we plan to achieve the next phase, which includes assimilating insects for better environmental sustainability and food waste management. Food waste can be easily reduced with the help of our little friends. We have been working on how to effectively extract organic protein that can help cut down food waste while protecting the environment.
Besides Exofood lab, other companies worldwide are looking to harvest bugs to protect the environment, including insect farming startup Entocycle. In October 2020, Entocycle received £10m from the UK government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to build the country’s first large-scale farm to breed insects for pet food and animal feed.
