Petcare challenger Some Grub has become the latest to join the burgeoning insect-based petfood market.
The startup has made its debut with a three-strong range of functional treats for dogs. Fresh Breath, Calming and Gut Booster (rsp: £3.99/75g) are 26% mealworm, while also containing sweet potato, potato, peas, ground beet pulp and rapeseed oil. Other ingredients include peppermint, lemon balm, spirulina, turmeric and chicory extract.
The trio supported “both the health of pets and the environmental health of the planet”, said Some Grub. They offered “health-conscious pet parents a more ethical, more sustainable and healthier way to feed their beloved animals”.
Mealworms provided “more protein than beef, more iron than spinach, are packed with brain-boosting omega 3s”, the brand added. They were also “more digestible than meat and plant proteins”.
Plus, insects as a food source was “much more friendly to the environment, using less land and water, and generating a significantly smaller carbon footprint”.
Initially available via the Some Grub website, the cold-pressed treats come in plastic-free packaging made from sustainably sourced, recyclable paper. They are free from grains and dairy and provide three calories per treat.
“We believe that insects will eventually be the number one protein in pet food and more popular than beef, chicken, pork and fish,” said Some Grub founders Ollie Harkus and Ben Chapman.
They created the brand “with a mission to make millions of pets happier and healthier, while cutting the huge impact that feeding them is having on the planet” they added. “We were shocked that 20% of the world’s meat and fish is fed to pets and concerned by the growing rate of allergy and stomach issues experienced by animals eating traditional petfood. There are limits to a purely plant-based diet, so we wanted to make protein-packed products for pets that are both healthy and limit the impact on the environment.”
Some Grub’s launch sees the startup join the likes of Aardvark, Lovebug, Sprÿng, Tuggs and Yora to tap the potential of insects in petfood.
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