An unexpected ally in promoting sustainability: flies!

Nasekomo logo
Type of organisation or company
Country
Bulgaria
City
Sofia
Language for original content
Scope
Ongoing
Yes
Nasekomo
Description

Nasekomo is a Bulgarian insect rearing company producing insect protein and oil for the animal feed industry, and insect fertilizer for the agriculture industry. Leveraging the principles of circular economy and zero-waste production, Nasekomo is the first and at present the only insect rearing factory in South-East Europe.

Nasekomo specialises in technologies and genetics for bioconversion through the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) insect, considered as one of the most powerful bioconversion agents. Its larvae grow 10 000 times in 12 days, turning 60% of what they eat into body mass, packed with quality nutrients and rich in protein.

Wide application range of insect-based products means an enormous market opportunity and includes pet, aqua and pig and poultry feed sector, soil nutrition (compost, fertilizer, soil remediation material) and technical applications (chitin and chitosan), renewable energy, pharma and cosmetics industry, and prospectively human food sector in the longer run.

Unlike the rest of manufacturers, who aim at vertical integration, Nasekomo is the first company from the insect protein industry to let its proprietary technologies to newcomers to the industry, allowing them to deploy insect bioconversion at an industrial scale and thus fuel a powerful circular economy model across Europe. The vision of the company is to scale insect bioconversion to thousands of agri-food companies and create a marketplace for premium sustainable protein alternatives.

Nasekomo’s goal is to use – and increase the usage of – these insects as part of a global solution to the issues caused by the exponential consumption of meat.

Identified challenge (s)
Main results
  • Sustainable, environmentally-friendly product
  • Production of an organic fertiliser with a low carbon footprint
  • Local agricultural co-production
  • Decreased carbon footprint and local availability of protein sources
  • Contribution to the preservation of marine wildlife by offering an alternative that avoids depleting wild fish stocks