Meet the startup using flies to fight food waste

Next time you grab for your fly swatter, you may want to reconsider.

Insectta is a Singapore-based startup using fly larvae to fight food waste.

The company set out to solve a local problem. In 2020, Singapore had 665k metric tons of food waste, and only recycled 19% of it.

So how do the flies help?

Insectta feeds its flies ~8 tons of food waste per month, creating 2 byproducts:

1. Flash-drying the bugs creates animal feed
2. The insects’ waste can be converted into fertilizer

The firm isn’t alone: Goterra, Better Origin, and AgriProtein also utilize insects to convert food waste into agricultural products…

… but Insectta is looking beyond fertilizer and feed

The company developed technology to remove biomaterials from the insects, like chitosan, which can be used in moisturizers and other cosmetic products.

It’s all part of the company’s mission of leaving nothing to waste, which seems like a mantra that could grow far beyond Singapore in coming years.