Food-grade insects: Ÿnsect scales up global expansion with Protifarm acquisition

14 Apr 2021 --- Ÿnsect has acquired Protifarm, the global specialist in mealworm ingredients for human food applications. Their joint offering will accelerate manufacturing capabilities with a third production site as the company moves to deliver on its long-term strategy to offer natural, healthy and sustainable protein solutions. 

Following the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) deeming mealworms safe for human consumption in January, Ÿnsect is now striving to obtain food authorization for its protein concentrate meal for human consumption.

“Indeed this European green light should pave the way for future approvals, particularly on human consumption of defatted insect protein, which represents the largest human food market segment in terms of value and volumes, especially in sports and health nutrition,” Antoine Hubert, CEO and co-founder at Ÿnsect, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Buffalo mealworm-based products offer technical functionalities, like texture, binding and solubility.Ÿnsect has submitted its Novel Food application and will be filing a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) request in the US in the coming months to serve the fitness and sports nutrition markets.

“Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now in the midst of it, the reality remains that we need to produce more food with less available land and fewer resources. Many humans are already consuming insect products as a secondary food source, through the livestock and the fish consumed daily on a global scale,” continues Hubert.

“Transitioning mealworm to a common primary food source requires new levels of confidence from consumers in terms of safety and the health benefits that insect products can and will bring.”

Consolidating Ÿnsect’s strengths
In addition to its sites in France, Ÿnsect now expands internationally with the integration of Protifarm, a Dutch production site based in Ermelo.

“Protifarm is a compelling strategic fit for Ÿnsect, perfectly matching our long-term goals and sustainability values,” explains Hubert.

“Acquiring Protifarm is a strategic next step for us, strengthening Ÿnsect’s leading position in the global market and allowing us to properly address the human and pet food markets with complementary products.”

The Dutch vertical farm and processing facility produces more than 1,000 metric tons of food ingredients annually, aiming to expand the facility to 20,000 metric tons of insect-derived ingredients to feed humans, pets and plants. 

With two Ÿnsect production sites in operation and one under construction, the result is an increase in volume and an acceleration of production and delivery to customers in the short and medium-term.

There is a higher acceptance rate among Dutch consumers of food produced with insect-derived ingredients.This will represent a total capacity of over 230,000 metric tons of ingredients per annum.

Ÿnsect and Protifarm have a shared vision of sustainable farming with the opportunity for unlimited scalability: to produce at a greater magnitude and in a much more sustainable way.

Protifarm brings nearly 40 years of experience in insect breeding and owns 37 patents across ten categories, bringing the total number of patents owned by Ÿnsect to almost 300.

“The evolution of a more sustainable and healthier intake of nutrition is only at its beginning, but the demand for products meeting these standards is set to grow exponentially in the coming years,” explains Tom Mohrmann, CEO of Protifarm.

“The consolidation of Protifarm’s position in insect-based human premium food ingredients with the leading player in insect-based premium feed and pet food ingredients will expand our scale to meet this demand globally.”

Ÿnsect will also gain a skilled workforce from Protifarm, with expertise essential to this integration. The Dutch production site employs about 50 people in production, R&D and cross-functional areas.

The local management team will remain in place, in charge of integrating Protifarm into the Ÿnsect group.

Expanding to the food sector
Protifarm is a global player in the insect ingredient food sector, with established food customers in Germany, the Netherlands, England, Denmark and Belgium.

The Netherlands is a key region for food and agriculture. It offers significant advantages in terms of export possibilities, ideally located for customers in the Benelux and the North of Europe.

The country is spearheading innovation with universities like global food and Ag leader Wageningen University, which is pioneering with its own insect research center.

“Though we will not be seeing insects on our dinner plates right now, we are already witnessing a definite shift in perspective with regards to this,” observes Hupert at Ÿnsect. “Demand is growing for insect products, and the health benefits they offer will serve to help overcome the reservations people may have.”

Protifarm’s Novel Food application is expected, same as Ÿnsect’s, to receive EU approval in the near term.

“If we look at the potential of insect derived products for the years to come, we are really only just beginning to uncover the health benefits that insect products can offer our populations,” adds Hupert.

The European Commission highlights favorable gains for insect producers looking to contribute to diversifying locally sourced protein feed for organic farmers.With regards to the mealworm specifically, it is a more natural source of protein for those consuming a high protein diet, he states. 

It has a protein content of 72 percent which makes it a highly digestible premium ingredient that can also be used as a supplement for digestive diseases, including diabetes. “This very digestible composition even makes it a suitable form of nutrition for elderly people.”

“As the first insect to receive a positive safety evaluation for human consumption in the world, the mealworm represents a significant step for the growth of the entire insect industry,” Hupert comments. “I certainly expect that other insects will find their way into this market too – it just might take a different approach or strategy to get there.”

Demand for food applications
Mealworm ingredients are premium products as they are uniquely “food grade” compared to other insects used only in animal feed.

As Protifarm’s Buffalo mealworm and Ÿnsect’s Molitor mealworm meet complementary needs, the company now offers a platform of interchangeable food and feed ingredients that address the demand for different premium applications from two types of mealworms.

Molitor-based ŸnMeal is produced for sports performance and food supplements. Its high protein and low ash content make it a highly digestible premium ingredient that can be used as a supplement for digestive diseases.

The product is also marketed as a highly efficient source of necessary supplements in elderly nutrition.

A study by the Justus-Liebig University of Giessen in Germany showed a dramatic 60 percent reduction in cholesterol when mice were fed ŸnMeal. This is attributed to its superior amino acid profile and “exceptional capabilities” in reducing cholesterol levels.

On the other hand, the Buffalo mealworm-based products offer technical functionalities, like texture, binding and solubility. The ingredients show excellent nutritional properties, including proteins, vitamin B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, B12, potassium and calcium, combined with a mild flavor, allowing consumers to focus solely on taste.

These ingredients allow the creation of tailor-made solutions for the food industry suitable for a wide range of product applications, including meat alternatives, protein bars, shakes, baked products, snacks, confectionery and beverages. 

Ÿnsect also plans to reach out to new customers in wet pet food with Protifarm’s production surplus of Buffalo mealworms.

Last month, the European Commission published its “Action Plan for the Development of the Organic Sector” with favorable gains for insect producers looking to contribute to diversifying locally sourced protein feed for organic farmers. 

And in February, the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed spoke with FoodIngredientsFirst about the advantages of entomophagy, COVID-19 challenges and how European insect producers have managed to recover faster than expected.

By Elizabeth Green