The edible insect startup GRIG has been on the market for more than 5 years and is among the 3 largest insect startups in Europe. It still holds first place in the Czech Republic. Young entrepreneur Adam Dostál wants to teach Europeans to eat insects and show that it really makes sense. For the year 2022, the company managed to get insect products to 100,000 people in the Czech Republic. The company not only offers dried insects in their entire form, but also offers products with only insect protein, such as chips, triples or even an insect burger!
According to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), the human population is expected to reach 9 billion people on our earth around 2050, based on which the demand for food should double, as the current food requirements will not be enough for humanity. Meat consumption is estimated to increase from 50 kg per capita to 80 kg per capita. It is therefore necessary to find a suitable alternative to the human diet, and one of the possible solutions will be the inclusion of insects in the human diet. It is highly likely that insects will soon be a natural part of our diet, and the numbers prove it. In the Czech Republic, there are now more than 25% of insect consumers, and their number is constantly increasing. For example, in France, up to 40% of people are exposed to insects,
Edible insects have many health and nutritional benefits for the human body! Not only does it provide quality protein, but it also contains all the essential amino acids that are important for building and maintaining body tissues. Insects are richer in protein than, for example, lentils, soybeans or beans. Insects also boast a high content of group B vitamins - especially vitamin B12, which leads to the proper functioning of the metabolism. Cricket powder contains 10x more vitamin B12 than beef. Insects also contain a high proportion of minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, sodium, copper or zinc. It is also a good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids and contains less cholesterol than meat. Thanks to the consumption of insects, blood lipids are reduced and can have a preventive effect against diseases of non-infectious origin (e.g. diabetes, cancer, etc.). Insects are an important source of fiber, which is very beneficial for our body. It perfectly cleans the digestive tract and has a preventive effect against colon cancer. Among other things, insects provide the body with the necessary healthy fats that help maintain the correct level of cholesterol in the blood and thus protect our heart. Insects contain up to 5 times more omega-3 fatty acids than salmon.
Scientific studies show that meat consumption is responsible for up to 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions, but once emissions from respiration and land use are added, livestock production accounts for 50% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, the breeding of insects is undemanding compared to farm animals, while farm animals have specific requirements for their breeding. It should be taken into account that the global demand for water is also constantly decreasing. Agriculture annually covers up to 70% of the world's fresh water consumption. Insect farming is environmentally friendly and requires minimal water and feed compared to traditional livestock. Excessive use of water is most associated with agriculture. For example, up to 22,000 liters of water are used to produce 1 kg of beef protein, and 3,500 liters of water for 1 kg of pork.
Reducing meat consumption is the most important sustainability issue and is an inevitable part of our future. GRIG plans to create more insect foods, and this year a broad portfolio of new insect protein products will be available on the market under the brand.
To the press compartment of Grig distribuce s.r.o.
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