Two young entrepreneurs from Iceland, Búi Bjarmar Aðalsteinsson and Stefán Atli Thoroddsen, have started their own business, making energy bars made with an unlikely source of protein and other nutrients, insects.
Búi first got the idea when reading a U.N. report from 2013, which suggested that people (especially from western culture) should start eating more insects in their diets. According to the report, it is necessary for us to start finding more sustainable sources of food than we have been producing. Insects do not only fit the description of being a sustainable source of food but apparently insects are also extremely nutritious.
Early this year the duo formed BSF Productions, a company focused on making insect infused food products. Their first products will be energy bars, featuring ground down crickets as the protein source, titled Crowbar.
When asked about how the company would go around convincing people to eat their products Stefán replied: “because most people are not used to eating insects they have to be courageous to take the first bite but after that, they will realize that the energy bar tastes great and there is nothing to be afraid of. The cricket flour has a neutral, nutty flavour but mixed with other ingredients like almonds, coconut and cacao you can’t really taste a lot of crickets”.
Talking about the nutritional benefits of eating insects, he adds that: “Cricket-flour is naturally 70% protein. It’s twice as rich in proteins as beef, almost as high in calcium as milk is and low fat. It also has essential B12 vitamins and omega-3, so when you start thinking about it, crickets are a superfood in itself”.
BSF Productions is planning to have the first prototypes of its energy bars ready next autumn.
“We have chefs ready to help us make the best energy bar we can. When we have perfected our recipe we will go on to the next level and start to market our product,” explains Stefán.
Image source: http://www.thailandunique.com/image/cache/data/cricket-flour/food-grade-cricket-flour-wholesale-600×600.jpg