Cricket Pasta, the only pasta with 20% cricket flour, will be exhibited at London Food Tech Week, Tuesday, October 18, at Carousel London, 71 Blandford St, London W1U 8AB. And, on October 25, Bugsolutely will be in Manchester, at the Gama Innovation Conference & Awards, where it has been selected as a finalist for the SME Award.
An Immersive Solution to Today’s Food Problems
Cricket Pasta is one of the protagonists of London Food Tech Week’s “Experiential Insect Bar”; an interactive experience allowing participants from the food industry to try edible insect products and discuss the growth trajectory in the edible bug space. Absolute innovations like the bug ice cream and Bugsolutely’s Cricket Pasta with Cricket Bolognese sauce (from the Canadian company One Hop Kitchen), will boost the conversation around insects, not just as a protein source, but as a tasty ingredient in the kitchen. Alicia MacCara, Bugsolutely Marketing Specialist, will provide information regarding the pasta features and nutritional properties. “I am not surprised Bugsolutely’s product was designed in Thailand”, commented Dr. Korsak Towantakavanit, Policy Specialist of Innovation for the Industry Department at the Thai National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office. “Our country is the kitchen of the world and Cricket Pasta is a great example of food R&D in our country.”
Recognition of Cricket Pasta’s Outstanding Innovation
Cricket Pasta is a finalist for the Gama Innovation Award – SME, which recognizes outstanding innovation in small and medium businesses. Together with Crobar, a UK energy bar containing cricket flour, they are the only edible insect products shortlisted at this event, which is to be attended by dozens of leading executives from the global FMCG community. The person designated to represent Bugsolutely is Debora Lasoen, Senior Marketing Manager. The event will include a conference in the morning, bringing together industry leaders to share their strategies for success and innovation. In the evening, the awards will be presented, recognizing outstanding innovation in fast- moving consumer goods.
Gama founder and CEO Cesar Pereira commented: “Bugsolutely Cricket Pasta highlights the potential for insect ingredients – especially cricket flour – to make an impression within the mainstream food industry. Bugsolutely’s cricket flour formulation helps make insect foods more accessible, overcoming the ‘yuck’ factor that is likely to prove an obstacle to insect-based formulations, especially in Western markets”.
The edible insect industry is growing
According to the analysis from GMI, the edible insect market looks financially promising. The global revenue is forecast to exceed USD 522 mn by 2023. Another research firm, Arcluster, expects an even bigger growth, concluding the global bug market will reach USD 1.5 bn by 2021. Bug brands like Exo Protein have been funded with millions of dollars, and government support is increasing, as in the case of European Union, South Korea and Switzerland.
