Cricket farm Krekelution is set to significantly expand the production of meat alternatives in their production hall soon. Entrepreneur Frank van Aken says that with a new subsidy scheme, he now has the financial capacity to establish a reliable production line.
"We import loads of small crickets from Finland, and in about 28 days we raise them to adult crickets. We harvest a large portion of these and breed new ones with the rest," he said. He intends to combine his production soon with that of an acquaintance into one large production line in a hall in Barneveld.
Van Aken has made use of the MIA\Vamil scheme. This allows entrepreneurs to invest advantageously in environmentally friendly technologies. The scheme mainly gives Van Aken the freedom to import crickets and to experiment with the breeding process.
He calls cricket production an exceptionally sustainable alternative to meat production. "Where a cow consumes about 400 kilos of feed and tens of thousands of liters of water, about 1.7 kg of food (from residual flows) and a few liters of water are needed for one kilo of crickets. Additionally, the product contains 2.5 times as much protein in relation to a piece of beef.
Besides meat substitutes, Van Aken also sees applications for powders and oils. "These can be processed, for example, into nutritious muesli bars or protein shakes." The sports world and the medical field are the first interesting markets.
His ultimate dream: a large production facility where people with a distance to the labor market, with good guidance, care for the crickets, harvest them, and breed new pinheads. "I want to help provide an alternative to the agricultural sector, contribute to a sustainable world, and do something for fellow humans. That way, I give something meaningful back to the world."