Mohammed Ashour (pictured) launched Aspire with four fellow MBA students at McGill University. The idea? To give people more access to edible insects. The concept's not as strange as you might think. Two billion worldwide already eat insects.
Saving the world with insects —
Mohammed Ashour (pictured) launched Aspire with four fellow MBA students at McGill University. The idea? To give people more access to edible insects. The concept's not as strange as you might think. Two billion worldwide already eat insects.
Courtesy Aspire Food Group
Compared to beef, chicken and fish, insects are cheaper to produce and require less land, water and feed. They are also higher in nutrients like iron and amino acids. Aspire believes increased access to insects would eradicate malnutrition in some communities.
Saving the world with insects —
Compared to beef, chicken and fish, insects are cheaper to produce and require less land, water and feed. They are also higher in nutrients like iron and amino acids. Aspire believes increased access to insects would eradicate malnutrition in some communities.
Courtesy Aspire Food Group
Aspire is partnering with rural farmers in Ghana to breed palm weevils -- the insect of choice for many Ghanians living in the north and east. In doing so, Aspire is hoping to launch a whole new industry in the region.
Saving the world with insects —
Aspire is partnering with rural farmers in Ghana to breed palm weevils -- the insect of choice for many Ghanians living in the north and east. In doing so, Aspire is hoping to launch a whole new industry in the region.
Courtesy Aspire Food Group
Aspire would give farmers the necessary kits and buy back the palm weevils, which it would then manufacture into different products and distribute throughout Ghana.
Saving the world with insects —
Aspire would give farmers the necessary kits and buy back the palm weevils, which it would then manufacture into different products and distribute throughout Ghana.
Courtesy Aspire Food Group
In addition to distributing the raw product, Aspire is planning on creating a flour made from palm weevils, which would serve to fortify any food with extra iron, protein, and a range of other nutrients.
Saving the world with insects —
In addition to distributing the raw product, Aspire is planning on creating a flour made from palm weevils, which would serve to fortify any food with extra iron, protein, and a range of other nutrients.
Courtesy Aspire Food Group
Ashour notes that in Ghana, animal feed is usually made up of imported fish meal. Replacing the feed with locally reared palm weevils would also bring down the price of livestock.
Saving the world with insects —
Ashour notes that in Ghana, animal feed is usually made up of imported fish meal. Replacing the feed with locally reared palm weevils would also bring down the price of livestock.
Courtesy Aspire Food Group
Aspire also set up a pilot grasshopper-farming program in Mexico, and is looking into introducing cricket farming in Kenya. It is also looking at bringing entomophagy to the United States.
Saving the world with insects —
Aspire also set up a pilot grasshopper-farming program in Mexico, and is looking into introducing cricket farming in Kenya. It is also looking at bringing entomophagy to the United States.
Courtesy Aspire Food Group
Though Kenya, like Ghana, has a strong tradition of insect consumption, until recently, the insects were mainly harvested by hand.
Saving the world with insects —
Though Kenya, like Ghana, has a strong tradition of insect consumption, until recently, the insects were mainly harvested by hand.
Courtesy Aspire Food Group
Aspire did ground research in Thailand -- one of the few countries with a strong insect farming tradition -- to learn about techniques to pass on to other countries.
Saving the world with insects —
Aspire did ground research in Thailand -- one of the few countries with a strong insect farming tradition -- to learn about techniques to pass on to other countries.
Courtesy Aspire Food Group