Bühler, Entocycle partner on tech solutions for insect farms 

Bühler, one of the world’s leading processing technology groups, and Entocycle, an insect technology company, have joined forces to drive adoption of large-scale black soldier fly (BSF) farms. The companies will provide solutions and expertise to serve customers in this segment, covering the multiple steps of the journey, from concept and basic engineering to execution of BSF facilities worldwide.

The non-exclusive partnership creates a highly complementary offering with Entocycle delivering proprietary breeding technology and Bühler bringing proven industrial-scale technologies in feedstock processing, larvae rearing, and product processing.

One of the challenges of the highly promising, emerging insect industry has been how to ensure a steady supply of young larvae at an industrial scale. “While the pioneers in this industry had to develop their own technology out of necessity to ensure a robust BSF breeding, companies now venturing into this industry will be able to rely on a proven and scalable solution,” says Andreas Baumann, head of Market Segment Insect Technology at Bühler.

Although there are specialized breeding service companies in certain regions, in large parts of the world, there is no alternative to having an in-house breeding operation. With this partnership, Bühler and Entocycle address this challenge by offering scalable end-to-end solutions that significantly reduce the time to market for companies building an insect facility.

During the last 10 years, Bühler has been developing its capabilities in the insect protein industry and has already completed a number of relevant projects in the field. In 2019, Bühler supported Protix in the realization of the world’s first commercial BSF plant in the Netherlands and this year Bühler delivered Agronutris’ first industrial BSF plant in France.

“We are incredibly proud to partner with Bühler, a company with 163 years of illustrious history. Our team is really excited to work with Andreas Baumann and his team to deliver large-scale BSF facilities around the world and make the impact that we know BSF farming can make in creating a more sustainable and efficient global food system,” says Keiran Whitaker, founder and CEO of Entocycle.

“The industrial use of BSF is rapidly gaining traction among businesses seeking alternative feed protein sources and more sustainable practices. To accelerate scaling this industry we must contribute to lowering the hurdles for companies to enter this business,” says Andreas Baumann. “That is why we are very pleased to cooperate with the Entocycle team in future projects, as they share the same philosophy as Bühler in ensuring the quality and reliability of their solutions.”

“It’s going to be a great partnership, not only in the way that our businesses and teams complement one another in terms of respective skill sets and experience but also in the strong alignment of values around building a better and more sustainable world,” says Matthew Simmonds, managing director of Entocycle.