As the cost of living issue affects families, low-cost grocer Aldi is contemplating offering recipe kits for edible insects.
It is well recognized that insects, including crickets, are a cheap and sustainable source of protein.
The decision to carry Yum Bug goods, which create the bug recipe kits, is now being considered by Aldi.
The 28-year-old co-founders of Yum Bug, Aaron Thomas and Leo Taylor, are in a battle with rival startups to get their product on grocery shelves.
The pair was chosen from among hundreds of applicants to participate on Aldi’s Next Big Thing on Channel 4 tomorrow.
In the six-part television series, which is hosted by Anita Rani of Countryfile and BBC Radio 4 and Chris Bavin of Britain’s Best Home Cook and Eat Well for Less, vendors compete in categories such meals, baked goods, desserts, and pantry items.
Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, evaluates products based on aspects including pricing, packaging, consumer demand, and scalability before eliminating all but two competitors.
After receiving any criticism, the finalists have four weeks to fix it before submitting revised items to Julie, who selects the one that will be a Specialbuy in more than 970 shops.
“We’re on a mission to shift ideas about insects as food; they’re one of the most sustainable protein sources in the world,” said Mr. Thomas, a resident of Islington, London.
‘Crickets contain up to 70% protein, which is three times more protein than is present in beef. They also contain more calcium than milk and iron than spinach, and the list goes on. They are fantastic superfoods.
“We aim to make eating bugs more commonplace.” It would be a fantastic chance if we could appear before Aldi’s audience.
In 2017, Mr. Taylor and Aaron began experimenting with cooking with insects in the garage of my parents. Since then, they have created a variety of recipes and published online material.
We later sold our first bug recipe boxes while on lockdown from our beds, and that’s when things really took off.
Aldi claims that its dedication to buying locally based goods includes the competition. As it works toward spending an extra £3.5 billion annually with British firms by the end of 2025, it has promised to give domestic suppliers priority.