Reading time: 3 min.
In our first podcast episode, we welcome Michiel Van Meervenne, founder of KRIKET. KRIKET makes more nutritious snacks based on crickets, born out of frustration with our current food system.
We got to kick off with some great news! Colruyt Group is now investing in this Belgian start-up. Together, they're taking on the mission to make insects a "mainstream" product accessible to everyone. Each bringing their own strengths and expertise, they'll continue developing and growing the market for cricket products, Michiel tells us.
The Kriket story
Kriket has been around for 3 years now, founded by Michiel and his sister. It all started in 2017 with a crowdfunding campaign, driven by frustration and a search for alternative proteins. Proteins with a low impact on nature, the planet and people, yet with a high nutritional value.
Demand for these alternative proteins, in the context of sustainability, was huge. That's why Kriket goes all in on crickets. Michiel tells us crickets have a very high nutritional value and are highly absorbable, meaning the body takes them up efficiently. Combine that with the low environmental impact of plant-based proteins, and you've got something special.
If we can tell this story around nutrition and sustainability well, we also manage to convince people to give it a taste. After all, we already eat other quirky things like scampi, mussels and shrimp, to name a few. Just taste it, that's the message 🙂
Besides crickets, Kriket also works with other high-quality ingredients. They fully commit to the clean label principle, so no E-numbers, colourings, preservatives and the like. The bars are made from nuts, grains and seeds, topped off with cricket flour.
Right now there are 3 flavours on offer:
1. Original: hazelnuts, oat flakes, buckwheat, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseed, cricket flour
2. Cocoa Chirp: the original, topped off with pistachios, chocolate and chia seeds
3. Protein Boost: the original, topped off with pecans, dates and a touch of sea salt
With these, Kriket brings 3 snacks, each packed with fibre and protein. That combination keeps you feeling full and takes the edge off your hunger. A more nutritious snack, ideal for anyone looking for an alternative to the usual less nutritious biscuits, something both Kriket and JustBite are keen to offer.
Packaging & sustainability
"We aim for transparency in everything we do, and we strive for a more sustainable product, including the packaging." In our research, we looked into bio-based, biodegradable packaging. The big issue with this kind of packaging is that it halves shelf life, from 12 months down to 6.
So we chose the longer shelf life, which helps us cut down on food waste.
Kriket is a young brand that's had the chance to land on the shelves of many stores. That opportunity is partly thanks to the bars' 12-month shelf life. A strategic consideration we definitely factored into our decision.
On top of that, when it comes to recycling, we're (unfortunately) heavily dependent on government policy, Michiel tells us. The reality today is simply that too little gets recycled. Even if we'd chosen biodegradable films, which actually take a lot of energy to produce, they'd still end up in general waste in the end. That means they get incinerated at the end of their cycle instead of reused.
Taking all of this into account, we chose classic plastic films: thin, pure films that can be 100% recycled. The best choice when we look at sustainability and impact right now, and in our story going forward.
What does the future hold for Kriket?
Together with Colruyt Group, new products are already in the works. First up are the granolas, also 100% organic. A launch planned for the end of this year.
Michiel dreams of making Kriket just as normal, in time, as shrimp. He also spoke about the alarming obesity figures, including among children, which he hopes to help turn around by encouraging a healthier lifestyle.