A conversation with Sébastien Crépieux, founder of Invers, developing a decentralised insect farming supply chain for animal nutrition, placing farmers at the heart of the model. The role of animals and livestock in farming is something we cover frequently, but we’ve never discussed insects which can transform immense amounts of agricultural waste—such as leftovers from beer brewing or wheat milling—into high-quality protein and fats. Perhaps most importantly, their frass (manure) is an amazing fertilizer.

Of course, humans could consume insect protein directly, but in the Global North, this is rare and may take a long time to change. Insect protein is also an excellent poultry feed, but its greatest impact may be in aquaculture—specifically, fish feed. The immense destruction caused by industrial bottom-trawling fishing fleets is difficult to describe and comprehend. However, it’s safe to say that catching anchovies or krill for fish meal—to feed salmon and other fish—is highly inefficient and environmentally harmful.

With Sébastien we explore a decentralized approach to insect farming in France, one that focuses on putting farmers at the centre—not by reintegrating large ruminants into farms, but rather small mealworms. Why not go super-centralized with massive facilities and raise hundreds of millions of euros, as some other companies have done? Why hasn’t more insect meal been sold to the aquaculture sector to help reduce pressure on the oceans?

This episode is part of the Regenerative Aquaculture series, supported by The Nest, a family office dedicated to building a more resilient food system through supporting natural solutions and innovative technologies that change the way we produce food.

DECENTRALISED MAKES SO MUCH SENSE

Decentralised insect farming holds the potential to replace unsustainable fish meal in aquaculture and faces, as well, the challenges of competing with traditional feed sources. Sébastien emphasises the importance of sustainability, farmer involvement, and innovative production models.

“I think there is no better person or way of doing than having a farmer to grow animals. I think it dates back to the domestication, and we are not ready yet to replace the farmers with large factories for any kind of animals.” Sébastien Crépieux

INSECTS VS. FISH MEAL

Sébastien highlights the inefficiency and environmental harm of using wild-caught fish for aquaculture feed. Insect-based protein offers a sustainable alternative, but regulatory and market challenges make it difficult to compete with traditional fish meals.

“We take fish with less value from the ocean to transform them into fish meal to give to high-value fish like salmon and trout. It’s really a main concern when we think aquaculture is driving a change. It’s positive because we don’t take the resources in the ocean when we grow fish. In fact, at the moment it’s the opposite because we take the fish in the ocean to grow other fish, which are carnivores.” Sébastien Crépieux

́ ́The initial idea was really to replace fish meal. But we saw really almost from the beginning that it would be a long road, you see, because of two things. First, the price of the fish meal is really low. And we thought when we started the project that the regulation would help at one time to say, okay, it’s non-sustainable, so we’ll put a tax, an environmental tax, on fish meal. It’s still not yet.” Sébastien Crépieux

HOW SÉBASTIEN GOT INVESTORS ONBOARD

Sébastien embraced an innovative approach to decentralised insect farming centred around farmers. His decision to decentralise and involve farmers directly in the production process and circular systems attracted investors focused on sustainability and territorial impact. His model stood out against large-scale industrial competitors, emphasising gradual scaling and lower risks.

“We found some funds finally, which were more territorial, I would say, which were more on impact—impact for farmers, impact on the economy, and impact on the territory.” Sébastien Crépieux

RAISING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS FOR BIG CENTRALISED FACTORIES DIDN’T AND DOESN’T MAKE SENSE

Sébastien argues that large-scale, centralised insect farming models are risky and inefficient, especially when dealing with living systems like insects. Decentralised approaches, on the other hand, reduce risks, allow gradual scaling, and place farmers at the heart of the production process.

“You don’t need to invest 100, 200, or 500 million in a large factory where you don’t know if the scaling will be efficient, but you can build step by step or block by block.”.’’ Sébastien Crépieux

“Putting many different buildings into the countryside, you have less chance that if there is an epidemic, all of them die at the same time. You always have production at different sites.” Sébastien Crépieux

OTHER POINTS DISCUSSED

Koen and Sebastien also talked about:

• The role of technology and automation in insect farming
• Why wild fish meal is so destructive
• Regulatory challenges in the insect farming industry

LINKS:

• Invers
• What’s gone wrong for Ynsect?
• Insect ag pioneer Ÿnsect ‘exploring all possible options, including a 3rd-party takeover,’ Agronutris files safeguard plan with court

LINKED INTERVIEWS:

• Georg Baunach – More than half of the fish you eat is farmed: basics, potential and risks of investing in aquaculture
• Sowmya Balendiran – How to turn seaweed farming into an industry? Start by farming 1000 football fields of tropical seaweed in Indonesia
• Alf Gøran Knutsen – The good, bad opportunities of the multi million dollar salmon industry, from shooting lasers under water to feed
• Yanik Nyberg – Are saltwater plants grown on tens of millions ha of abandoned, drained salt marshes going to be the livestock feed of the future?
• Aaron Huang – How ranching (and eating) of millions of zombie sea urchins could restore the massive kelp forests of the U.S. Pacific West Coast
• John Holmyard – Lowest carbon protein aka mussels: it’s food, not a high tech unicorn
• Joseph Rehmann – Climate-positive fish is possible and its eggs are delivered by drones

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The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.