MYGroup’s first Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farm is set to open this month at its The Maltings site in South Milford, Yorkshire.
The move will further expand the site’s leading edge facilities focused on the species and reinforce the company’s position as a pioneer in the ‘edible insect’ sector.
The new farm continues MYGroup’s investment into the potential of BSF for the dual applications of sustainable waste management and protein production through a process called insect bioconversion.
Bioconversion involves feeding organic waste to BSF larvae, which consume and metabolise the material into a series of byproducts, including ‘frass’, a substance that can be used as organic fertiliser, as well as various nutrient-rich proteins. These proteins serve as a sustainable alternative to conventional protein sources such as fishmeal for use in the poultry, swine, pet and aquatic feed industries.
Global demand for sustainable alternative proteins is on the increase, driven by ever-increasing pressure on traditional food systems, environmental concerns and growing populations. This is fuelling a growing ‘edible insect’ sector, with proteins produced though the bioconversion of insect species such as the BSF offering an effective, low-carbon solution for meeting the increasing demand for animal and, in time, human diets.
MYGroup has been at the forefront of this exciting sector, working with BSF for a number of years to bring an Insect Protein Meal product derived from the species’ proteins to the aquatic feeds market. The company also has a strategic collaboration with Fera Science, the UK leader in agri-food science research.
Setting up its own BSF farm now allows the company to fully integrate and scale its bioconversion operations as a closed-loop, circular process linking waste recovery with sustainable food systems and reducing dependency on external suppliers, all while diverting the processed food waste from landfills and mitigating the emissions associated with other forms of disposal.
Our developing work with BSF is bridging the gap between waste management and the rapidly growing protein production industry. Breeding and rearing larvae in-house is a critical step in putting our business at the forefront of this transformative sector. Insects might not be everyone’s cup of tea just yet, but they’re undeniably efficient, sustainable and soon to be the heroes of the future food system.
Steve Carrie, Group Director, MYGroup
