Innovation That Matters

European supermarket chain sells food made with insects

Retail

The second largest supermarket chain in Switzerland is set to offer customers the alternative food after a change in laws early this year.

If you’re not sure about creepy crawlies then Swiss supermarket Coop’s newest offering might not be for you, offering customers a range of food that feature insects as a key ingredient. The food, supplied by startup company Essento, include mealworms, crickets and grasshoppers.

Two-and-a-half years in the making, Essento’s two innovative insect-based products are a burger and the conspicuously named insect balls. Aside from the flourworms, the Essento Insect Burger also contains rice and vegetables such as turnip, celery and leeks and various spices such as oregano and chilli. The Essento Insect Balls are composed of flourworms, chickpeas, onions, garlic and spices such as coriander and parsley. Essento’s insect products are available in seven Coop supermarkets in Zurich, Basel, Berne, Winterthur, Lugano, Lausanne, Geneva and on-line shop Coop@home.

To celebrate the launch, Essento is going on a pop-up tour through Switzerland, offering visitors exclusive insect-based dinners. Brave diners can reserve their tickets via the Essento website for an evening of alternative cuisine. And for those who can’t get enough of grasshopper-filled delicacies, the Swiss-based startup also offers cooking classes and has its own cookbook.

Enjoy unique food experiences? The Pittsburgh-based eatery offers cuisine originating from countries America is in conflict with, or the gourmet tour of Japan’s best cuisine from the comfort of a luxury car may also be of interest. How else could restaurants mix up their offering to lure in more custom?

Email: contact@essento.ch

Website: www.essento.ch

Contact: contact@essento.ch