There are less than two weeks left in a grant awarded last spring to Mighty Cricket, a company that makes protein products out of bugs.
“Cricket protein powder is made from ground-up crickets raised exclusively for human consumption,” and is intended as a sustainable protein option, explained the Mighty Cricket website.
With the $131,500 USDA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant award that began June 1 of last year, the company planned to develop a way to turn consumer waste into cricket feed. This product would be used as feed for small-scale farming operations.
“Crickets are typically farmed in controlled environments where they are fed organic feed and have plenty of space to move around,” said the company.
While Mighty Cricket said that the insects require much less water, land, and feed than other protein as protein sources such as beef or pork, it also said costs have limited the growth of cricket protein. Per the grant description, cricket protein retails for over twice the price of conventional proteins and the two biggest factors driving up costs are “lack of innovation and economies of scale.”
Enter Mighty Cricket’s granted-funded research and development project.
“The company will establish a pilot farm in St. Louis, where it will source waste materials from local grocery stores and food manufacturers, transforming them into high-quality feed for crickets,” it explained. “Cricket protein is a superfood quickly growing in popularity, touted for its nutritional and sustainable benefits. The company already has product lines of cricket-based protein products on the market, selling both online and in retailers such as Fresh Thyme.”
At the facility, Mighty Cricket planned to use diverted food waste from landfills. In the U.S., Food waste makes up an estimated between 30% to 40% of the food supply and contributes to 8% of carbon emissions said the company.
“We are excited to embark on this transformative journey thanks to the support of the USDA SBIR grant,” said Sarah Schlafly, CEO of Mighty Cricket. “We are revolutionizing the agricultural industry by creating sustainable solutions that benefit both our planet and the local St. Louis community.”
In addition to the USDA grant, BioGenerator Labs provided non-diluted funding and coaching to Mighty Cricket for the project.
Now, for the question that is likely on many readers’ minds… what does cricket protein taste like?
Crickets can be found served up deep fried and crunchy as a delicacy in Cambodia, but the type of powder produced by Might Cricket will taste more like a milkshake. It sells powders in flavors like chocolate and vanilla, and it has testimonials on its website about their mild taste. A shape.com review of another brand of cricket powder commented on its smooth texture.
Manufacturers of protein powder and various outlets have also touted its health benefits, easy digestion and range of nutrients. AskMen interviewed people who use the powder, and one said it is good for people who are sensitive to dairy, whey and vegan protein.
“John Fawkes, NSCA-certified personal trainer and Precision Nutrition-certified nutritional counselor, notes that cricket protein is also a wise option for those who don’t eat red meat since it’s high in iron and vitamin B12,” said the outlet. However, it noted that people who are sensitive to crustaceans may also be sensitive to cricket protein.