Insect Engineers: Pioneer in Black Soldier Fly farming

Specializing in Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming, Insect Engineers offers a turn-key approach to converting organic waste into high-quality animal feed. Founded in 2019, the company’s mission is to make BSF farming not only environmentally impactful but also commercially attractive. Through a full range of solutions, from breeding to production and processing, Insect Engineers supports clients worldwide in creating sustainable feed systems. With a growing number of inquiries, Insect Engineers is refining its processes to offer streamlined, reliable support, making insect farming more accessible for businesses globally.

The Black Soldier Fly advantage

Why Black Soldier Flies? As one of the world’s most efficient organisms in converting organic waste, Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae can significantly reduce waste, needing only 14 days to process it completely and increase their weight by up to 10,000 times. This makes them an ideal, natural waste-reduction powerhouse. With its high feed conversion rate and short life cycle, BSF farming presents a highly sustainable and profitable solution for producing high-protein feedstock. Insect Engineers uses their unique Zoem rack system to support this efficient process, handling massive waste quantities while minimizing methane emissions.

The role of Smicon in BSF farming

The collaboration between Smicon and Insect Engineers began at a trade show over two years ago and has since led to their first joint project . Smicon’s machinery plays a vital role in the substrate preparation phase for larval growth.

For instance, food waste like fruit and vegetables must be ground to less than three millimetres to be digestible by the larvae. Smicon’s grinder expertly meets the precise substrate specifications for efficient larval feeding, making their machinery an integral component of Insect Engineers’ farming operations.

This Smicon installation, the first for Insect Engineers, marks the beginning of a collaboration focused on creating scalable insect farming solutions, with a recent pilot project in Southern Spain serving as a key site for collecting essential data to drive further innovations. “Each project we undertake is unique,” they explain. “Smicon’s machinery allows us to adapt to different substrate compositions and offer customized processing solutions for solid and liquid waste streams alike,” says Bob Holtermans, who heads Insect Engineers’ operations.
 

Overcoming industry misconceptions and challenges

Insect Engineers faces various misconceptions, with many people assuming insect farming is always geared toward human consumption. In reality, they focus on recycling food waste for animal feed. The Black Soldier Fly larvae consume organic waste, creating a sustainable feed for livestock, which closes the loop in organic waste management.

As the industry grows, Insect Engineers is working to normalize BSF farming by establishing reference locations to demonstrate its potential. “There’s incredible potential here,” they share, “but the industry is still quite new and needs real-world examples.” They see significant expansion in the next three years as BSF farming becomes more mainstream.

However, the sector does face challenges. European regulations make purchasing materials costlier, especially compared to more lenient regions like Asia and the USA. Moreover, a lack of shared knowledge within the industry has slowed progress. Insect Engineers advocates for collaboration to accelerate development and advance sustainable insect farming.

Advice for aspiring insect farmers

For those interested in entering the insect industry, Insect Engineers offers a three-day training course at their “Insect School.” This hands-on program covers critical insights on starting a BSF farming business, from substrate selection to developing a viable, custom business case. As they note, “You’ll learn more in three days here than in two years on your own.”

Looking ahead, Insect Engineers anticipates exponential growth in the BSF industry over the next three years as companies worldwide adopt this innovative waste-to-feed solution. Their goal is to standardize insect farming processes, making it a familiar and accessible practice. This includes plans for quick establishment of new farms to create more reference sites, showcasing the industry’s potential and reliability. With reliable partners like Smicon and a commitment to knowledge-sharing, they’re well-positioned to lead the way in sustainable insect farming for animal feed production.

Curious how Smicon's technology can help you create more value, boost profitability, and ensure a consistent supply of residual streams? Get in touch with us to explore how our machinery can support your operations and drive sustainable insect farming solutions!