To familiarise consumers with the nutrition innovation, a Norwegian store chain is launching a hamburger containing grasshoppers. Insect-based meats already have a market, with a current market value estimated at around one billion dollars but this food sector may expand to be worth 8 billion dollars by 2030, according to a bank report. There are already some start-ups that specialise in teaching people how they can home grow edible insects as an alternative source of protein and produce less waste as a result. Of course, propositions of eating insects are often driven by climate hysteria.

Last year, the Norwegian store chain Meny already attempted to offer a taster of food containing insects when they began selling bread made with mealworms. The product failed to catch on with customers, but the store was not discouraged and this year they are launching an insect burger as they believe people are ready for an exotic diet, Resett reported. Of course, climate concerns are also behind this innovation as climate worriers advocate that people should eat less meat to reduce climate change.  

One of Meny s employees said they tested the product containing grasshoppers and they found it enjoyable though the taste was a bit unfamiliar. One kilogram of insect meat costs 299 kroner or nearly 30 euros in Oslo.

Although readers commenting on the article published by the Norwegian news outlet said they would never eat hamburgers made with insects, the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) says attitudes are shifting. According to the Belgian lobby organisation, new trends are emerging in consumer dietary habits that open up opportunities for expanding the edible insect market. A growing number of people are interested in trying insect-based food, and the diet is also supported by positive media coverage. Eating insects can reduce people s ecological footprint, helping the environment and curbing climate change, which is seen by many as a substantial additional benefit. Moreover, IPIFF says that insects can be adopted not only in human diet but also in animal feeds.

In addition, having insect-based dishes may become easier in the future. English start-up BeoBia focuses on helping people raise insects for consumption at home. The company provides containers for the insects, not only providing people with the protein they need, but also significantly reducing food waste. BeoBia founder Thomas Constant also pointed out that insects are worth raising because they need minimal space and water compared to larger animals, so they are more environmentally friendly than, for example, cattle.

Consumers seem to be taking to the innovations generated by climate hysteria. US bank Barclays reports that the „insect market”, now worth about 1 billion dollars, could reach 8 billion by 2030. It is anticipated that the dishes, currently in the experimental phase, will soon become common among ordinary people, as they realise that they can obtain the necessary portion of protein not only from conventional meat but also from insects. In addition, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN has been encouraging people to consume insects since 2013.

However, many think that the insect dishes cannot be pressed down people s throats so easily, CNBC writes. According to US chef Joseph Yoon, new ways must be found to have people accept those dishes, including presenting them with a pinch of humour. Insects can also be mixed in the dough so as to make them unrecognisable, or offered in sweet or salty versions. Anne Carlsson, the owner of the pet food manufacturer Jiminy s, believes that popularising insects should start with pet food, so the company produces dog food that contains crickets. According to her, people – especially younger generations – might choose Jiminy s products over other options, because insect-based pet foods represent an environmentally friendly alternative to meat-based ones. Carlson even believes that insects can also serve as a solution to world hunger.