AgriProtein, the world’s biggest fly-farmer and first commercial-scale insect meal producer, aims to build 20 fly farms in the US and Canada in pursuit of establishing a global network of insect protein factories producing sustainable animal feeds to replace fishmeal used in aquaculture, agriculture and pet food.

CEO Jason Drew, said, “With supplies of fishmeal dwindling we’re moving as quickly as we can to bring insect protein into the mainstream of animal feed. As well as ensuring continued supply of protein in the years ahead, replacing fishmeal with insect meal allows our oceans to heal, reduces greenhouse gases at every stage of the supply chain from point-of-catch to point-of-sale and leaves more fish in the sea for humans.”

AgriProtein has set up North American team to develop its business locally and build an R&D capability, headed by Jon Duschinsky. The company announced the North America initiative at the World AgriTech Innovation Summit 2017 in San Francisco.

Duschinsky said, “The US is the world’s biggest consumer of protein and the world’s biggest producer of organic waste, a very important market for us. And as AgriProtein is disrupting three industries – agriculture, aquaculture and animal feed – it’s natural we chose the world centre of disruptive technologies to launch our North American campaign.”