Lincoln-based Bugeater Foods has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the USDA for further research into insect-based foods.
The grant is a Phase 1 SBIR grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a department of the USDA. According to a press release from Bugeater, only 15% of companies that apply receive a SBIR grant.
According to co-founder and CEO Kelly Sturek, the grant will be used to further refine the taste and form of their cricket-based food products. The research will be performed at the Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln.
“We are excited to be doing research in Nebraska. Food is a strong suit of Nebraska, and we want to be a part of that and bring innovation here,” said Sturek, in a press release.
Edible insects are expected to be a $522 million international market by 2023, according to the press release.
Bugeater Foods was founded in 2015 by Juliane Kopf, Kelly Sturek and Alec Wiese. The team completed the NMotion accelerator program that same year. The company is currently building inventory to fulfill a purchase order from HyVee. Their products are also available on Bulu Box and on the company’s website.
