IamA (I have launched the UK's first cricket flour energy bar- that's right insects! AMA!

Does it bug you that these won't fly off the shelves?

Haha, actually they're flying off the shelves pretty well, we're selling in over 30 stores here

So, here's my problem with cricket flour, maybe you can assuage my fears.

I've had a Bearded Dragon as a pet in the past, and part of having a Bearded Dragon is maintaining a cricket colony for feeding. My time at maintaining a cricket colony has taught me that crickets are some of the most disgusting and messy creatures on the planet. The sheer volume of excrement in a cricket colony is enough to drive one to drink.

So while the thought of eating crickets ground up into flour is something I think I would try, the level of disgusting grossness a cricket colony contains just puts me off of ever trying one. That is all I would be able to think of while eating anything made of cricket powder.

So, my questions is this, what percentage of cricket flour is cricket shit? Because I'm guessing it's pretty high.

The sheer volume of excrement in a cricket colony is enough to drive one to drink.

Have you ever been around cows or chickens?

I get it. There is much more excrement from these animals. And I (obviously) do not disagree.

But my main point was the level of excrement these creatures will be covered in at the time of processing. When you are preparing a cow or a chicken for consumption, the entire animal does not get ground up in the process. The goal is (usually) to remove just the edible parts (i.e. the muscle) from the inedible parts (i.e. the digestive system, or other innards).

Plus, the cricket colony is usually contained within one's house when you're using them to feel a reptile. Cows and chickens usually have their own accommodations outside the home.

I assume the are washed pre-grinding.

Correct, they are washed.

That's funny. I'd assume they'd say "fuck it", who's going to know.

Well, washed or not, how to they extract the shit that's still digesting inside the cricket?

They starve the crickets for a day before they are frozen.

I don't know what kind of crazy crickets you have been farming, but that is not what I have seen at the farms I have visited. I have no number for you unfortunately.

I have no number for you unfortunately.

what I'm getting here is that the number isn't zero

I mean, it's unlikely that the percentage of bug shit in any processed food is zero.

The crickets are put on a diet before they are killed.

The poop is washed away, don't worry.

One thing I'm amazed no one has asked yet - what does it taste like? Does the cricket flour give it any particular flavour?

It really depends a lot on what you feed the crickets, but they taste a bit like roasted hazelnuts or buckwheat.

You know, I suspect that roasting insects, pulverizing them, and then mixing that powder with other stuff that I know I like is probably the single most effective way to get me to try insect protein. So, thanks for giving me a not completely disgusting option!

Haha, I appreciate your open- mindedness :-)

That sounds disturbingly tasty.

You are so right!

depends a lot on what you feed the crickets

so... what're the available flavours your people have discovered so far? best and worst?

It's a trade secret of the farm, a bit like Coca cola :-)

I've had one of these bars, it came in a 'foodie' box I have delivered once a month. Yes, I was dubious, but it was actually very nice. It just tasted like a nutty trail bar. Unfortunately the price is a bit high for me to eat them on a regular basis but the taste is pleasant.

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback, hopefully with time the price can come down :-)

How much more cost-effective is cattle farming? Or with economies of scale, could we see insect-based farming becoming cheaper than livestock?

We need more research, but as a rube of thumb, they use 10 times less water and land than cattle and emit a whopping 80 x less greenhouse gases

Its not got to taste amazing its healthy, and will taste like bird seed mixed with dried fruit. What you have to ask yourself is will you pay £2/$3 for one

Fuck no... I'm not even sure what the price of a box of crickets is locally but I could grind that shit up myself for cheaper I'd imagine.

I'm not overly caring about gluten free or organic either so that price point is far beyond what I'd pay.

Haha, fair enough, I'll get in touch with you later down the line when we make cheap, processed ready meals with insects :-)

Hello, American food safety specialist here. What regulatory hurdles did you have to pass? How is a cricket grown for human consumption differentiated than crickets for pet food?

How long has this been in the works?

Really do have a million questions as I am also a food entrepreneur. Hoping to launch within the next month.

All in all it sounds very cool! Great work.

Here in UK/ EU, insects in food has long been a grey area, but finally the European Commission is starting to include it in the laws, so all of us will have to apply for Novel Foods in a couple of years.

A cricket for human consumption is farmed under strict HACCP procedures, obviously no pesticides, hormones, and an all organic diet.

We launched in November 2015

That's interesting HACCP is incorporated into the farming of the crickets. Also interesting that this particular interpretation of HACCP seems to be geared towards organic standards.

I assumed a GAP program would be sufficient and then of course whatever organic audit is used in the UK.

In another post you did mention a November 2015 launch, but I was more so asking about the time spent before the launch. It seems like a big challenge to do all the market research and prepare the numerous recipes you have on the website. Very impressive.

Was the recipe research done in house? What's your favorite recipe?

I launched on a small scale in April 2015 with Kickstarter money, and then improved recipes and branding over summer ready for the November launch. I had the idea in January 2015. I love cooking myself, so most of the recipes are my own. My favourite is probably the falafels and pancakes :p

do you really come out ahead, jumping over all those hurdles, rather than just eating the food that would have gone to the crickets?

Yes, animal based protein has health benefits which we don't get from plant based protein

Does it help that cricket is so popular in UK?

Yes it helps with the jokes at dinnerparties.

Are they raised in little cages or can they roam free in a field?

There's a small problem you might not be anticipating in growing tiny flying creatures in an open field.

Wise words indeed.

They like it dark, hot an humid, so live in cages that are hot, dark and humid.

I'll only support free range crickets I'm afraid.

They would be VERY expensive to catch, good luck.

(that's British for how about you do it yourself then asshat)

Haha, thanks for the translation.

Haha, thanks for the translation.

Haha, thanks for the translation.

Haha, thanks for the translation.

Haha, thanks for the translation.

Haha, thanks for the translation.

Haha, thanks for the translation.

Haha, thanks for the translation.

Any plans to make a cheaper version with like cockroaches or something?

I want a tasty cricket bar as much as any other person but £2 a bar is a lot.

Haha, if the cockroaches had to be farmed to the same high standard, they wouldn't be cheaper than crickets. The price will come down with time :-)

What's required for the price to come down? Larger volume order from the current farm? Enough demand to start a new farm in the UK?

Yes, larger scale of production. Yes I would say so, several companies are starting out now.

I'd like to see a bar made from spiders.

Spiders aren't insects, so why don't you launch it, you would have a unique selling point?

(This is british for "hell no")

Haha very true.

Can you tell us anything about the supply chain? Where are the crickets bred, how are they fed, etc?

Sure, we're getting the best quality cricket flour possible, and the only farm that guarantees organic and gluten-free certified cricket flour, is Entomofarms in Canada. The crickets are fed an organic diet of fruit and vegetables.

Serious question: What else would you feed a cricket? Or any bug really?

Well, in some countries they feed the crickets fish, and they will taste like fish themselves then :-)

You know, I've never seriously considered the diet of a cricket... wouldn't have even thought to feed them fish.

Of course, I wouldn't feed myself crickets, however, I do think it's neat and could be a good food source for people that aren't me.

I'll turn you around eventually ;-)

They're farmed in Canada and then shipped to the UK? Isn't that a bit... wasteful? Expensive? Doesn't it push the carbon footprint up a lot? What would it take to set up a similar farm in the UK? And if I did so and had appropriate standards and certifications would you buy from me? (n.b. I don't have the funds to actually do this so ignore that last question... probably)

You're right it's not ideal, but we are prioritising the best quality cricket flour we can find. There are currently no cricket farms operating in UK yet, but several about to start.

First of all fair play! Really exciting stuff. There is also ongoing research a the moment on using insects as feed for livestock - which I'm sure you know about.

In respect to feeding the crickets how economical is it? How much fruit is required to bring a cricket to appropriate maturity. Is this the reason for the currently high retail price?

Does the fruit have to be of a certain freshness or can it be past the quality where it would be acceptable to sell on a retail level?

Yes exactly, the insects in feed theme is also super interesting. The feed conversion is significantly higher in crickets, they lifespan is also only 5-8 weeks, compare that to bigger mammals! The reason for the high price atm is just small scale of production. Crickets could live off compost, which is an added benefit :-)

Awesome! Glad to hear you're not cheaping out on the insects. I look forward to trying your product.

Absolutely, great to hear :-)

Why does it being gluten free matter that much?

well if you're going to make a flour substitute, making it GF is really good for:

• People with celiac disease
• People who have a gluten intolerance
• People who have a trendy gluten-free diet.

The first two groups are important morally, and the last group is very large, therefore profitable :D

You hit the nail on the head

It's a massively growing market, many people are gluten-free or intolerant

Are you worried that it may just be a fad and a try it once sort of thing? Also how do you change the consumers initial stigma around eating insects?

Not really, given there is so much push from UN, governments and thought leaders all over the world to start including insects in the food chain. We believe that by making the crickets into flour, it is easier for people to take the first bite, as they don't see the whole animal, this has proven correct so far.

I can't help but keep thinking of the scene from SnowPiercer

I know, it's an awesome movie!

any future plans for a cockroach flavor?

Yes can I partner up with you?

What is cricket flour? How is it grown made and prepared?

Literally roasted, ground up whole crickets, who have been farmed under controlled and safe conditions.

Mmmm, sounds tasty

I know, right??

Where can I buy your tasty cricket bars?

Here you go:) http://gathrfoods.com/products/

is that http 500 indicative of all of reddit wanting to buy your product or is something wrong with your server?

No bloody clue, I'm trying to get it up and running.

how do you slaughter crickets?

Very small knives.

Needles.

You freeze them so they hibernate like lobsters.

Wait, so they're not dead when you grind them up? Can they wake up when they're in my belly?

They freeze to sleep, and then to death.

How long have you been doing this? What are your thoughts on the likelihood of insect-based protein uptake in western markets? I'm very interested in bug food for environmental, ethical, and economic reasons.

We launched in November, since then there are a few other brands about to launch, and we just won the 1st prize in the World Food Innovation Awards for best new food concept last week, so there are clearly some influential people believing this will take off.

That's awesome. Sounds like you're off to a great start! I'm looking at your website now for details. Pricing is a bit steep but I know it's unavoidable due to startup costs, and will improve as production scales. Best of luck to you and I'll be checking back to see whether I can get some in the US from time to time!

Thank you so much, and you are right in what you're saying :-)

How does the cricket flour work in baking products?

A lot of successful gluten free baking requires mixing flours or using different flours for different types of foods (e.g., I wouldn't use millet flour in most cake recipes, but I would use it for for quick bread). Is there a type of existing gluten free flour that cricket flour most resembles? Are there any known cautions around using it baking (like with coconut flour you have to watch your liquid ratio as it likes to absorb a lot of liquid)?

Good luck with the business!

Good question, and I learn new things every day. Basically, the cricket flour is dried meat powder, so yes it acts differently than other flours. It is quite dry, a bit like coconut flour, so definitely more moisture is needed. That's why is advise starting by replacing 10% of conventional or almond flour only, and a bit more liquid. Thank you :-)

Could the flour, being dried meat powder, be used for stock?

Yes!

Why should a non gluten free person choose your bar?

How many references to Snowpiercer do you hear per day?

Because the other health benefits like protein, iron, vitamin B12, not to mention the environmental benefits are very convincing.

On average, 138.

What made you decide to launch an energy bar? Aside from the cricket flour it seems the market is pretty saturated. Any idea's on launching other products?

The natural energy bar market is pretty saturated, you're right, but it is an great first introduction for people to try cricket flour, as it's healthy but still sweet. We will launch other cricket flour products later like crisps and crackers.

how many crickets do you have to kill to make one bar?

32.

How do you separate the crickets from their waste excretions? How finely ground are the crickets?

Shaking them well and cleaning them in water. Very finely, finer than normal flour.

Were you on Shark Tank? I remember seeing an episode where a guy was pitching protein bars made with cricket flour.

That was Chapul

Wasn't Chapul on Shark Tank a while ago? And they're sold in the UK.

What's the difference between you and them?

Yes they were, I loved that episode. Chapul bars taste great, they use exotic flavours like chili and matcha, Crobar are simpler in flavours.

Honestly, this is brilliant. What demographic does your product most appeal to? Which type of person is more likely to buy your product?

It's pretty much 50/50 men and women, people who are mostly interested in health, a bit of fitness, as Crobar is a great snack for before or after exercise. More and more people are also aware of the sustainability benefits to crickets compared to traditional livestock.

Why is cricket flour better than normal one?

Cricket flour is high in protein, iron and Vitamin B12 to name a few, it is also gluten-free.

Do you have any comparable stats e.g how much higher protein, iron and b12, contents are in say 1 scoop of cricket powder versus say, your usual whey protein

We are working on that, the cricket flour is being optimized all the time, currently it actually has 78% protein which is a lot higher than the 68% a few months ago. I'll keep you posted :-)

Do you have a website that isn't twitter?

www.gathrfoods.com

Web dev here, please get rid of those leaves behind the text on the homepage, it makes some of the text difficult to read.

I might do that, thanks for the feedback :-)

Hi! I've bred crickets long time ago (for experimental purposes) and always wanted to do this. I knew in a rural school in here they were doing cricket flour and cookies, but I couldn't get a sample. I live in a small South Americacountry. Anyways, here are my questions: 1- which cricket species are used? 2- was it a big investment? What's your expected ROI?? 3- Why did you choose to invest on this??

Good luck! :)

1. Gryllodes sigillatus
2. No, I raised 10,000 GBP on Kickstarter to fund the initial batch
3. Because I genuinely believe insects in food will become mainstream one day, and I'm willing to take the chance :-)

You've aimed this at the health food market. But do you have any plans to create a bar for the breakfast bar market? In the UK we love a Nutrigrain, a Chewy or one of the various other cereal bars going.

I wouldn't buy something high in protein because I already get enough protein in my diet through the meals I eat, however I do something run out of time in the morning and grabbing a cereal bar is always welcome.

Crobar isn't as high in protein as whey bars or other high protein bars, you can see the nutritional profile here, it would make a great mid- morning snack: http://gathrfoods.com/products/sample/

Hello! I helped run a stall for the Royal Society of Biology at a science festival last year and we were trying to encourage members of the public to try crickets which had various seasoning added. Very positive response, generally. Entomophagy is a big thing in some parts of the world afterall!

I was hoping to ask if you had plans to sell the cricket flour on its own? Right now I can only seem to source some online, where prices are around £20 for 250g. This is a very expensive purchase for a biology student, do you think it's just a question of growing the market to reduce prices? Are you planning on selling cricket flour yourself in the future? Would rearing crickets in the UK reduce price significantly? Any plans to do that in the future?

p.s. I thought they tasted like sunflower seeds!

Why don't you email me on [email protected] and we can talk?

You indirectly mention a lot of research regarding how vegans prefer to eat cricket flour and how most people are willing to try it ,etc. What is your basis for this research and can you link me the study/stats?

Correction, I said that most objections come from vegans. Many vegetarians are willing to try, I'd say more than 50%. This is based on my experience at trade and consumer shows, as well as samplings in stores. I don't have any scientific data backing this up unfortunately.

What's the nutrition facts? It seems like you'd have a way to reduce carbs significantly not using flour, cereals or rice, yet, from your description, I expect another overly sweet dry-fruit munch with over 15g of net carbs per bar. Am I right or wrong?

There are relatively many carbs in the bar from dried fruits. This is an intro food product for people to familiarise themselves with cricket flour, later we might make higher protein, lower carb bars.

Do you guys plan on importing to Canada?

That's a bit too much travelling for the crickets :-)

Interesting so

• What is your plan to get the consumers past the "iky" mentality people have to bug.

• What was your reason for going into the business? (idealist, money, or?)

• From what i have heard we have to go to bugs at some point. I have also heard that fishfarmin could be the future. what do you think and why ?

• finally how does the taste comepared to non buggy bars?

Well, as explained before, most people are willing to taste cricket flour in a food product, as compared to whole crickets, the main objections are coming from vegans who wouldn't touch any meat.

A mix of idealist, health food interest and loving exciting challenges!

I have no opinions of fish farming.

You can't really taste the addition of the cricket flour, as they taste nutty, similar to the other ingredients which are cashews, dates, sunflower seeds etc.

Does this bar taste like, well, crickets?

The crickets have been fed a very high quality, organic diet, so the taste is a bit like roasted nuts, hence it goes well with the other ingredients

Where can I acquire a sample of this bug-filled bar?

Right here my friend: http://gathrfoods.com/products/sample/

Im assuming that there is some regulation regarding informing the public on the ingredients, which could help of hinder your sales.

Are there any which dictate the use of insects, especially in the EU and US?

We are legally allowed to sell insects in food in UK and EU, but some countries in Europe have made it illegal.

Can you use the flour as a straight up replacement for flour in other recipes, or does the flour have unique textural or flavour profiles that mean you can't just straight up make Mom's homemade chocolate chip cookies with cricket flour?

Good question, you can't just replace it with regular flour. A good tip is to replace it with about 10% of normal flour. The texture and flavour is different :-)

What is the tastiest bug besides crickets?

I really love mealworms, silkworms are also nice.

How often do you eat cricket bars?

Are they sweet or savory?

Cricket bars a few times a week as I am currently working on future flavours of Crobar. They are sweet, but not too sweet, there is no added sugar.

What other bugs do you eat and where do you get them from?

I really wanted to get more into entomophagy but haven't found many great sources in the UK. Kudos for your endeavor btw, we should be eating more insects, high in protein, low in fat and much better for the environment than the normal meat production.

Personally I love mealworms, you can get them from Eatgrub. You are so right, I couldn't agree more, if we eat prawns, why can't we eat insects?

Do you have any advice to help people get over being squeamish about consuming bugs?

Don't you already eat prawns and shrimps? They're basically a cousin to the cricket.

And did you know that the food standard agencies of all Western countries allow quite high amounts of insect fragments in processed foods already, as it is impossible to avoid? So you have been eating insects all along.

Down here in Portugal, we eat snails in Summer. It's considered a delicacy too. So the jump to crickets seems relatively easy. I'll try your bars.

PS: Low-carb ones would be lovely as well, when you have the funding for them. ;)

Exactly, snails are lovely with a bit of garlic :p The site is working again: www.gathrfoods.com :-)