St. Louis Park, Minnesota – A big part of the Minnesota State Fair is the food.
A lot of it is fried, sweet deliciousness, so where do bugs fit into all this?
Believe it or not, the insect protein market could be worth $8 billion by 2030.
While it’s not yet common in the U.S., a Minnesota company is expanding palates at the fair and elsewhere with edible insects.
Meet the couple who use a chirping beetle to grow unique snacks.
“We try to make products that people can use every day at every meal,” said Claire Simons.
In a commercial kitchen in St. Louis Park, Claire and Chad Simons rely on a powerful protein source that they believe will be the superfood of the future: barbecue.
“Our son came home with a cricket cookie on Earth Day and a light bulb went off in my head,” said Chad Simons.
In 2017, environmental lawyer Chad Simons and nurse Claire Simons recognized the sustainability and health benefits of the jumping insect and seized the opportunity.
“We started a small cricket enclosure in our basement the next day,” said Claire Simons.
3 Cricketeers, named after their sons, was born. The company quickly moved to a 700 square meter farm. Now they breed crickets in a larger warehouse.
“When we started, we were baking cookies at farmers markets and people were so keen to see the virus. We thought we had to hide it,” Claire Simons said.
Claire Simons said the cricket tastes like a nut or a seed.
3 Cricketeers sells cricket-based snack mixes, chocolate-covered crickets and caramel popcorn with crickets in it. But they’re more excited about the future of their ground cricket powder.
“Super high protein content and the most bioavailable protein. There are about 13 grams in about two tablespoons of cricket powder,” said Claire Simons.
Cricket powder can also be used as a flour substitute, allowing bakers to add protein to cookies and muffins.
Sales are up 30% year-on-year, but the couple knows that widespread use requires a change in thinking. They reflect this fact in their product slogan.
“Daringly delicious,” said Chad Simons.
