The challenge is already present, with the forecast of 10 billion human beings on the planet in 2050 and the resulting need for proteins. The production of alternative proteins, including insects, is essential today and will be a central element of our food system. This is why, from the start, we have envisioned our project around a holistic model….

Aquaculture Product Manager
Innovafeed
A SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL FEED INGREDIENTS
In recent years, the insect industry has emerged as a sustainable alternative to conventional animal feed ingredients which are associated with environmental concerns, such as deforestation, overfishing, and greenhouse gas emissions. Insects, such as black soldier flies that we farm at Innovafeed, are efficient at converting organic waste into high-quality protein and fat, making them promising feed ingredients for livestock, companion animals, and aquaculture. The use of insects in animal feed can reduce the environmental impact of the animal nutrition industry in several ways. First, insects can be reared on agricultural by-products streams; secondly, insects have a lower carbon footprint than traditional feed sources because they require less land, water, and energy to be produced; and third, insects can be fed on a vegetable substrate as they are naturally adapted to consume a plant-based diet in their natural environment, and feeding them a vegetable substrate allows them to express their natural feeding behavior, leading to better growth and development. Moreover, by converting these waste streams into high-quality protein and fat, insects can help to close the nutrient loop and reduce the amount of organic waste that goes to landfill. Lastly, insects can improve the gut health of the animals, which can lead to improved feed efficiency and health due to the changes in the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota.
In the near future, insect feed ingredients will also help to complement the ingredient basket for feed formulators and will fill up the protein gap that will exist when the world’s population will be reaching 10 billion people.
In conclusion, the insect industry has the potential to contribute significantly to the sustainability of the animal nutrition industry by providing a sustainable and nutritious source of functional feed ingredients. This is also Innovafeed’s goal, to provide a natural and sustainable solution to feed tomorrow’s world and address the strain on natural resources. Producing more yet producing better is one of the key challenges and strategies to prepare for the decades to come.

INCREASED INVESTMENTS AND TIPS FOR THE FUTURE
The increasing investments in the insect industry in recent years offer several tips for the future, including:
1. Embrace alternative protein sources: As the world’s population grows, the demand for protein is expected to increase, and traditional protein sources may not be sufficient to meet this demand. The insect industry offers a promising alternative protein source that is sustainable, nutritious, and efficient to produce. The increasing investments in the insect industry indicate that there is a growing interest in alternative protein sources and suggest that this trend will continue in the future.
2. Focus on sustainability: Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important consideration for consumers, governments, and businesses. The insect industry’s focus on sustainable production methods, such as feeding insects on agricultural by-products and using less land, water, and energy than traditional livestock farming, offers a valuable lesson for other industries. As the global population continues to grow and natural resources become increasingly scarce, sustainable production methods will become even more critical for the future.
3. Innovation and technology: The insect industry has made significant strides in developing new technology and processes for insect rearing, processing, and marketing. The increasing investments in the insect industry suggest that there is a growing recognition of the importance of innovation and technology in developing sustainable and efficient production methods. The future of the insect industry will likely see continued investment in research and development to improve production. This will also lead to improvements in efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of insect production.
4. Collaboration and Partnerships: The insect industry is a relatively new and emerging industry, and it will require collaboration and partnerships across different sectors to fully realize its potential. As more investors and stakeholders become interested in the industry, we can expect to see more partnerships and collaborations between different companies, research institutions, and government agencies. At Innovafeed, we are backed by investors who are both our partners and our customers, and who believe in our concept.
5. Education and Awareness: Finally, the increasing investments in the insect industry offer also an opportunity to raise awareness and educate the public about the benefits of insects as a sustainable food source and not just for the animal nutrition. As more people become aware of the potential of insects as a food source, it will become easier to overcome the cultural and psychological barriers associated with consuming insects.

THE FUTURE VISION OF THE INDUSTRY
The industry of the future will be a decarbonized and circular industry: decarbonized because the current climate challenges require all industries to limit their carbon impact, and circular because productivity, in the service of impact, requires the pooling of resources.
The challenge is already present, with the forecast of 10 billion human beings on the planet in 2050 and the resulting need for proteins. The production of alternative proteins, including insects, is essential today and will be a central element of our food system.
This is why, from the start, we have envisioned our project around a holistic model: circular and in symbiosis with our agro-industrial partners in order to best respond to the challenges posed by climate change and resource scarcity, endangering biodiversity and requiring a rethinking of the food system. This allows us to envision a promising future in which we can maximize our positive impact by replacing current carbon-intensive proteins with our more sustainable, natural, and planet-friendly insect proteins…
What will be key will be to be not only sustainable but impactful: the business and industry of the future will belong to innovations that will seek to sustainably transform existing economies.
At Innovafeed, we see animal nutrition as one of the key industries that would need the support of novel feed ingredients for future growth and compensate for future protein ingredients deficiency that will be a major challenge.
About Alex Diana
One of the Product Manager for the functional feed ingredients produced from Black Soldier Fly, Alex Diana focuses on the protein ingredients application for aquaculture and more precisely for the salmonids ans shrimp. Currently based in Brussels, Belgium, Alex originates from Italy and holds a marine biology degree with a major in aquaculture.