Will ‘palatable and nutritious’ insect-based pet food take off in Asia?

Pet chow companies that make dog and cat food from insects such as black soldier fly larvae are looking to gain a foothold in Asia.

At least two European start-ups are venturing into Asia, and a Singapore-headquartered firm that operates in Malaysia is looking to launch Southeast Asia’s first insect-based dog food in the fourth quarter of this year.

Insect protein incurs a much lower carbon footprint than beef, chicken or salmon as the six-legged creatures largely feed on low-grade food waste, grow quickly and do not need much space to be farmed. Animal agriculture is a significant generator of greenhouse gases and source of deforestation. While demand for meat has decreased amid the Covid-19 pandemic due to supply chain disruptions and reduced household incomes, it is expected to grow in the longer term in tandem with the global population, posing a threat to biodiversity and natural ecosystems.

Insects are a rich source of protein, and 10 times less food and up to 15 times less water are needed to produce one kilogram of insects compared to beef, said European company Entoma Petfood’s co-founder Rachel Cantet.

Entoma, which launched in early 2018 and offers cat and dog food, has a new distributor in South Korea and is looking to find resellers in Asia, she said.

United Kingdom-based Yora, which launched its dog food last January, has made over £1 million (US$1.28 million) in sales so far this year, and is looking to launch cat food next year, said its sales and innovation director Will Bisset. Yora is currently in 16 countries and recently reached distribution agreements for Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

It will launch in Taiwan and South Korea in August, and small-breed dog food is now available in Japan, said Bisset, who believes Asian markets will be as receptive to insects as Europe has been.

Source: Eco Business