NORWOOD — An East-Central Ontario cricket farm is now selling its cricket powder in all Canadian Loblaws stores under the President’s Choice name brand.
Entomo Farms, formerly known as Next Millennium Farms and located at Norwood, east of Peterborough, raises about 866-million crickets each year. Each of the company’s 20,000 sq. ft. barns houses 100-million crickets at a time. Crickets are raised for six weeks, then most are crushed into food.
Loblaws said 80 per cent of the world’s population already eats insects as part of their diet. A United Nations report said there’s 8 to 25 grams of protein in 100 grams of crickets. Crickets are also high in calcium, iron, potassium, amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids, but low in cholesterol and saturated fats.
Cricket powder is used as a healthy supplement that can be added to smoothies, baked goods or meals. A 113-gram package sells at Loblaws stores for $15.99.
The Norwood cricket business was launched in 2014. Its biggest seller from the get-go was cricket flour. The company, started by three entrepreneurs, also sells snack packages of roasted crickets in different flavours, including honey mustard, chili lime and barbecue.
