INTERVIEW Alternative Proteins Magazine April 2025 47 waste and to find better uses for them. That's going to really put pressure on these large organizations to find new options and alternatives. That's where our sector is really going to be able to step up. Some of the companies that we have as members are, in fact, struggling because the potential demand for their services is far outstripping their capacity to deliver, and we are helping them secure investment to expand. So, I think in volume terms, the conversion of organic co-products from the food system into protein, which is primarily going to service the livestock sector and pet food, is going to be a huge area. But human food also has a lot of potential. Which area will see the most widespread use of insect-based proteins: human food or animal feed? Insects are a traditional food source in some parts of the world, but for many people they are a relatively new type of food. How ready do you think people are to consume insect-based foods? There is a recent survey that was done in the UK, US, Netherlands and France. It found that 57% of consumers were willing to consume insects once the benefits have been explained, but 96% of those who tried them said they liked them, and that they would try them again. So once people have tried something, they do like it. It’s the initial idea that could be a bit odd for people in Europe. But when they try the right products, whether its different dishes, cakes or bars, they love them. And then, it's a matter of wanting more. In the end, I think we really will see the market shoot up, though there is certainly a lack of familiarity. In Western Europe, some people are very cautious in their eating behaviours. They like what's familiar. Other people are much more open to trying new things. A popular food that’s substantial now like sushi, was a weird and strange concept at first, but it has become much more accepted recently. So, I would expect to see different groups of people adopting products with insects in different ways. Athletic people really see the benefit of insect protein because they are more complete form of protein than many plant-based options. If you look across the world, just about any tropical country will have insects which have been traditionally harvested in the wild and part of the natural diet. There is evidence that people have been eating insects since the dawn of time. But it is now that they're looking at farming them, as the human population have got so large that you could decimate an ecosystem if everyone was eating the insects in the wild. And that's why I use the phrase farmed insect protein. It has been reported that the number of farm animals and animal production in the UK have declined in recent years. Do you think this is due to the changing consumer preferences, price increases in feed raw materials or other reasons such as alternative proteins? Well, I do acknowledge that it's a tough time for the farming sector. I have a number of friends who are farmers, and there's certainly a lot of pressure on the system. I would say that the decline in farm animals and animal production is likely due to a combination of factors which could include changing consumer preferences and concerns about the environmental impact of livestock farming. Clearly there are more options now in the supermarkets and people are considering where to go when they spend their food money. Could this decline be an opportunity for the insect industry? Can alternative protein sources such as insects replace traditional proteins? In other words, do you see your sector as a competitor or a supporter of the traditional livestock sector? I think this decline is an opportunity to partner with the food system. I’m certainly concerned about some of the trends in alternative food production, which seem to be going down a very high tech, ultra processed route. Insects are fundamentally a natural resource and the farming of insects can be incorporated into different regenerative farming or circular economy models. Farmers or companies working in the food space can embrace insect farming as part of other activities they do, and therefore extend their revenue, make better use of some of the resources.
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