Current scenario in the European edible-insect industry: a preliminary study

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the novel food market due to the growing demand for protein-rich food and the diversification of the protein sources currently used. The edible insect and insect based-food sector has recently experienced an increase in the quantities produced and traded. This increase has occurred thanks to awareness-raising actions and the development of European regulations. The limited development of this sector does not permit in-depth market and business analyses, since it is still in formation, which means that it is still a relatively unexplored field of study, especially on the European scene. The objective of this study is to carry out a preliminary investigation of the consistency, typology and product assortment of the companies located in the European Union and which are focused on the production and marketing of insect-based products. The survey was performed through the investigation of the E-commerce catalogues and Internet websites of the companies. The study also focuses on the main insect species used, the origin of the raw material used and the prices of products currently available on the European market. The results show that companies are mainly located in the northern European countries and that the most used distribution channels are the E-commerce websites, compared to physical retail outlets. Most companies also buy their raw material from third party companies, even non-European ones, and then process or only resell the product. The products which sold the most were whole insects or insect meal, mainly based on Tenebrio molitor or Acheta domesticus. Prices showed a high variability, in particular related to the species used and how it is packaged.