Oleksii Abasov, Founder of AAcheta Ukraine: The First 20 Product Types Will Hit the Market This Summer.
Protein bars, pasta, chocolate, candies, marshmallows, burger meat made from insect flour—this might have seemed like science fiction before. Now, it’s a reality. For over a year, innovative food products based on cricket flour have been developed in Ukraine. The novel food trend is rapidly gaining momentum worldwide, and it has now reached Ukraine. According to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), the global population is expected to grow by 75 million people per year, or 1.1% annually. By 2050, the world population is projected to reach 9.9 billion, up 33% from approximately 7.4 billion in 2017. This population growth is expected to lead to an increased demand for food products. This indicates that the world will be seeking ways to combat global hunger. In recent years, there have been numerous venture capital investments in the development of insect-based companies. We discussed this with the founder of AAcheta Ukraine, involved in this field.
Are There Any Challenges in Entering the Ukrainian Market with These Products?
There are many challenges. Specifically, if you want to create a high-quality and beneficial product with a long shelf life, numerous restrictions emerge. We tested the products extensively, conducted all laboratory studies, and now the products are ready for sale.
What types of products will be first released to the market?
The first groups of products will be protein bars in three categories: premium line, sports line, and cognitive development line, totaling 21 types of bars. We will also have pasta in three varieties: corn, rice, and protein. Additionally, there will be three types of chocolate, candies, marshmallows, and flour.
Where do you plan to sell these products?
We plan to utilize all sales channels, including retail, sports clubs, HoReCa (hotels, restaurants, and cafes), online channels, social media, B2B, and of course, export contracts.
What innovations are you incorporating into the products?
Innovations in cricket-based food products offer new opportunities to diversify consumer diets. From cricket-based burgers to bars and confectioneries, the potential for incorporating these insects into the food industry is enormous. Creative chefs and food designers are finding interesting ways to integrate crickets into various dishes and products, giving them new flavors and nutritional qualities.
Are your products focused on healthy eating?
Exclusively. We do not use sugar, lactose, gluten, and we only use healthy ingredients. This makes the process more challenging, but it’s a choice we made from the start and will not change.
Is this field technological?
The technological aspect of the food industry is indeed advanced. Innovations in insect-based food products also drive the development of new technologies and production methods. From creating processing plants to researching and improving insect feed mixtures, the insect-based industry is opening new horizons for the food sector. It also creates opportunities for collaboration between various industries, including agriculture, biotechnology, and the food industry.
Do you think alternative food products can replace traditional ones?
No, they will exist in parallel. However, the demand for alternative products will grow, and they will become a regular part of daily diets rather than something unusual. The trend towards healthy eating is increasing, and products like Acheta will find more and more fans.
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