What are Black Soldier Flies?
What exactly are black soldier flies (BSF)?
Put simply, the BSF converts everyday food waste into high quality protein that can be fed to chickens or pigs, your dog and cat, or possibly even you. Yuck!
So, why am I venturing into this world when we already have an established food supply chain? The problem is that if we don’t change the current ways of producing, distributing and consuming our food, we will run head on into a catastrophe. Let me explain how BSF can be part of the answer.
1. We need more land and resources to feed a growing population who are eating more per person. BSF use a fraction of the land when compared to other protein sources. They can even be grown vertically, stacked in boxes. What's more, the carbon footprint and water usage for BSF farming is significantly lower, helping customers reduce their overall resource footprint and allowing for more food to be produced on less land.
2. 33% of global food is wasted and less than 10% of this is recycled. This leads to 3.6m tonnes of food wasted in the UK every year. As I mentioned, BSF convert food waste into a highly nutritious protein, so they can be used to reduce all the waste needlessly going to landfill. It creates a loop.
3. Global events, such as Putin's war and the pandemic. Soaring inflation caused by just-in-time global logistics. Cracks are showing in our food system and governments are panicking, wondering where they will secure their own food for the future. BSF can be farmed and distributed all locally, using no inputs from far-away lands and securing our food for the future in the process.
4. The protein produced is of the highest quality - think about the amount of times it's bailed Bear Grylls out of a sticky situation… It contains all the essential amino acids, a high level of digestible protein and is also high in vitamins and minerals such as calcium. For pets, it can be described as hypoallergenic. For laying hens, it has proven to improve the egg shells, leading to less damages and also the general health of the hen, resulting in a happier hen.
The benefits seem to have no end. I have never personally come across something that ticks this many boxes of sustainability, welfare, efficiency, nutrition and community focused. Something that produces more food, using less resources, whilst providing security and nutrition at the same time. Perhaps in 20 years time we will look back and see BSFs flying around with a red cape, saving our world.
Not all heroes wear capes…
But, this one does!
