Couple betting big on crickets as a food of the future

WCCO

By Derek James

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    ST. LOUIS PARK, Minnesota (WCCO) — A big part of the Minnesota State Fair is the food.

A lot of it is deep-fried, sugary goodness. So where do bugs fit into all of that?

Believe it or not, the insect protein market could be worth $8 billion by 2030.

While it isn’t common in the U.S. yet, one Minnesota company is expanding palates at the fair and beyond with edible insects.

“We’re trying to make products that people can use for every meal, every day,” Claire Simons said.

Inside a commercial kitchen in St. Louis Park, Claire and Chad Simons are betting on a powerful protein they believe will be the superfood of the future: crickets.

“Our son came home with a cricket cookie on Earth Day and for me, the lightbulb really went on,” Chad Simons said.

In 2017, Chad Simons, an environmental lawyer, and Claire Simons, a nurse, understood the sustainability and health benefits of the leaping insect and jumped on the opportunity.

“We started a little cricket habitat in our basement the next day,” Claire Simons said.

3 Cricketeers, named after their sons, was born. The business quickly moved to a 700-square-foot farm. Now they grow crickets in a larger warehouse.

“When we first started out, we were making cookies at farmers markets and people actually wanted to see the bug. We thought we had to hide it,” Claire Simons said.

Claire Simons said the taste of the cricket is like a nut or a seed.

3 Cricketeers sells cricket-based snack mixes, chocolate-covered crickets and caramel popcorn with crickets in it. But they’re more excited about the future of their ground cricket powder.

“Super high protein and the most bioavailable protein. In about two tablespoons of cricket powder, there’s about 13 grams,” Claire Simons said.

The cricket powder can also be used as a substitute for flour, letting bakers add protein to cookies and muffins.

Sales are up 30% year to year, but the couple knows widespread use will require changing minds. They acknowledge that fact with their product slogan.

“Daringly delicious,” Chad Simons said.

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