Insect Feed Market By Product Type (Meal, Oils and Fats, Whole Dried Insects, Frass); By Application (Aquaculture Feed, Poultry Feed, Pig Feed, Pet Food); By End User (Commercial Feed Manufacturers, Pet Food Producers, Smallholder Farmers, Research Institutes); By Geography, Segment Revenue Estimation, Forecast, 2024–2030

Introduction And Strategic Context

The Global Insect Feed Market will register a steady CAGR of 8.6%, valued at USD 1.4 billion in 2024, and projected to reach USD 2.3 billion by 2030, confirms Strategic Market Research.

 

Insect feed refers to processed insect-based proteins and fats used in animal nutrition. These ingredients are emerging as sustainable alternatives to conventional feed inputs such as soymeal and fishmeal. The 2024–2030 period is strategically important as global feed producers, regulators, and livestock industries converge on sustainability goals.

 

Rising demand for aquaculture feed is one of the strongest drivers. Farmed fish production is expanding worldwide, yet traditional fishmeal sources are limited and environmentally strained. Insects like black soldier flies offer high protein conversion efficiency, reducing the pressure on marine ecosystems.

 

The poultry sector is another high-potential adopter. Several countries are approving insect protein inclusion in broiler and layer diets, aiming to improve gut health and feed conversion ratios. Pet food makers are also moving quickly, positioning insect protein as a hypoallergenic and eco-friendly ingredient for premium pet diets.

 

From a regulatory angle, Europe has been at the forefront. The EU’s 2021 approval of insect protein in poultry and pig feed was a turning point, sparking new investment. Asia-Pacific is not far behind, with China, Vietnam, and Thailand exploring insect feed commercialization as part of broader food security strategies.

 

Technology is equally important. Insect farming facilities now use automated rearing, AI-driven breeding optimization, and circular economy practices — turning food waste into high-value feed proteins. This aligns well with net-zero carbon commitments in the feed and livestock industries.

 

Stakeholders in this market range from OEMs and feed integrators to regulators, environmental agencies, venture investors, and livestock farmers. Large feed companies are partnering with insect protein startups, while governments are issuing subsidies and R&D grants to scale insect farming infrastructure.

 

To be honest, insect feed is no longer seen as an experimental niche. It’s quickly becoming a mainstream component of future feed strategies. With supply chains under strain and consumers demanding sustainable meat and fish, the insect feed industry is positioned as a pragmatic solution — balancing nutrition, economics, and environmental responsibility.

 

Market Segmentation And Forecast Scope

The insect feed market is segmented along four key dimensions — product type, application, end user, and region. Each dimension reflects how stakeholders are aligning insect-based proteins and fats with different nutritional and commercial needs between 2024 and 2030.

By Product Type

• Meal (Protein Powder): The most widely adopted format, typically processed from black soldier fly larvae, mealworms, or crickets. High in protein and easy to blend into compound feeds.

• Oils and Fats: Extracted from larvae, these provide concentrated energy and omega-rich nutrition, particularly useful in aquaculture and poultry.

• Whole Dried Insects: Often used in backyard poultry and niche pet food markets.

• Frass (Insect Manure): A by-product gaining traction as a dual-purpose input — both feed additive and organic fertilizer.

Protein meal currently accounts for more than 55% of market share in 2024, but oils are projected to expand fastest, supported by demand in aqua and pet nutrition.

 

By Application

• Aquaculture Feed: Still the largest consumer of insect protein, driven by sustainability pressures on fishmeal supply.

• Poultry Feed: Rising adoption in broilers and layers, particularly in Europe where regulatory approvals are unlocking scale.

• Pig Feed: Early-stage adoption, with trials showing improved gut health and reduced antibiotic dependency.

• Pet Food: Strong premium segment positioning; insect protein is being marketed as hypoallergenic and climate-friendly.

Aquaculture is the largest application segment today, but pet food is the fastest-growing, fueled by premiumization trends in North America and Europe.

 

By End User

• Commercial Feed Manufacturers: Integrating insect protein into compound feeds at scale.

• Pet Food Producers: Launching insect-based dry and wet food products, especially in premium retail channels.

• Smallholder Farmers & Local Producers: Adopting dried insects and frass in developing markets for cost-effective animal nutrition.

• Research & Academic Institutes: Conducting nutritional trials and genetic improvement programs for insect strains.

Commercial feed manufacturers dominate volume consumption, but pet food companies drive profitability and consumer-facing innovation.

 

By Region

• North America: Driven by pet food and aquaculture demand, supported by FDA’s gradual regulatory clarifications.

• Europe: Currently the largest regional market, with supportive policies and scaling startups in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

• Asia Pacific: Fastest-growing region, leveraging high aquaculture production in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

• Latin America, Middle East & Africa (LAMEA): Still emerging, but Brazil is showing momentum in both poultry and aquaculture adoption.

Scope-wise, this segmentation underscores that the insect feed market is not monolithic. Different stakeholders are betting on different sub-segments: aquaculture for volume, pet food for margins, and oils for innovation. The 2024–2030 forecast cycle is expected to highlight a pivot from experimental pilots to commercial-scale integration, especially in Europe and Asia-Pacific.

 

Market Trends And Innovation Landscape

The insect feed market is transitioning from early adoption to structured industrial scaling. Between 2024 and 2030, innovation is centered on three fronts: technology, regulation, and partnerships. Each is shaping how insect protein moves from niche trials into mainstream feed production.

Automation and Smart Farming

New insect-rearing facilities are increasingly automated. Companies are using AI-driven breeding optimization, climate control systems, and robotics to handle larvae at scale. Automated vertical farms allow consistent year-round production, cutting labor costs and minimizing disease risk. This signals that insect feed is no longer about backyard bins of larvae — it’s about industrial food-tech operations rivaling traditional feed mills.

 

Circular Economy Integration

A defining trend is waste valorization. Insects are reared on food by-products like brewery waste, potato peels, and grain residues. This model not only cuts input costs but also positions insect feed as a climate-positive solution. Regulatory agencies in Europe and Asia are encouraging such closed-loop systems, which reduce landfill waste while generating high-value protein and oils.

 

Advances in Processing and Functional Ingredients

Processing technology is evolving to create more specialized outputs. Instead of generic insect meal, companies now produce tailored protein fractions, lipid concentrates, and bioactive peptides designed to enhance gut health or immunity in livestock. There’s also growing interest in insect-derived chitin and lauric acid, which may replace antibiotics in poultry and pig diets.

 

Expansion into New Applications

Traditionally, aquaculture dominated demand, but now pet food brands are aggressively adopting insect protein. Premium brands highlight its hypoallergenic properties and sustainability credentials to attract environmentally conscious consumers. One striking example: several European dog food companies now use insect protein as a headline marketing claim, not just a hidden ingredient.

 

Regulatory Breakthroughs

The EU remains the most active region, with approvals expanding into poultry and pig feed. North America is more cautious but has begun to allow insect-derived oils and meals in aquafeed. Asia-Pacific governments, particularly China and Thailand, are supporting insect feed pilots as part of national food security strategies. Regulation is evolving from “experimental approvals” to “structured frameworks.”

 

Consolidation and Partnerships

Strategic partnerships are shaping the competitive landscape. Feed majors and agri-business giants are investing in insect startups to secure long-term supply contracts. Joint ventures are emerging between insect producers and waste management firms, integrating collection and rearing at scale. Meanwhile, research institutions are building consortia to optimize insect genetics and rearing conditions.

 

Sustainability Branding

For both B2B and B2C markets, sustainability is no longer a side benefit — it’s the core pitch. Insect feed reduces dependency on soy and fishmeal, which are linked to deforestation and overfishing. That narrative resonates strongly with regulators, retailers, and pet food buyers alike.

Expert insight: The most successful players are those who combine feed efficiency with environmental positioning. A kilo of insect protein must prove not just cheaper or healthier, but also measurably greener.

Bottom line, innovation in insect feed is less about “discovering new species” and more about scaling the infrastructure, regulation, and processing sophistication to mainstream the category. By 2030, insect feed will look less like an alternative — and more like a standard line item in the global feed industry.

 

Competitive Intelligence And Benchmarking

The insect feed sector is still young, but competition is intensifying quickly. Unlike traditional feed markets dominated by a handful of giants, this space is characterized by nimble startups, regional champions, and strategic alliances with established feed companies. By 2030, the winners are likely to be those who master both scale economics and regulatory navigation.

Key Players and Positioning

Ÿnsect (France): One of the largest vertically integrated insect protein producers globally. Focused on mealworm-derived proteins and oils, Ÿnsect has secured multi-year contracts with pet food brands and aquaculture companies. Their strategy hinges on sustainability branding and advanced vertical farming technology.

 

Protix (Netherlands): Pioneer in black soldier fly (BSF) protein. Protix emphasizes large-scale facilities powered by circular economy inputs (e.g., food waste). With strong EU regulatory backing, the company is expanding into Asia via partnerships. Their strength lies in a broad product portfolio — proteins, oils, and frass.

 

Innovafeed (France): Closely aligned with major feed companies. Known for integrating insect protein into aquaculture supply chains, Innovafeed has collaborations with global aquafeed leaders. Their facilities are co-located with agro-industrial sites, optimizing logistics and feedstock use.

 

Entobel (Vietnam): A rising Asia-Pacific player focusing on BSF production at scale. Entobel leverages low-cost labor markets and high aquaculture demand in Southeast Asia, positioning itself as a regional supplier to shrimp and tilapia farms.

 

Hexafly (Ireland): Specializes in insect-derived oils and chitin, positioning itself less as a protein supplier and more as a functional ingredient innovator. Their focus on high-value outputs makes them stand out in the pet food and specialty feed segments.

 

AgriProtein (South Africa): One of the earliest entrants, now scaling operations across Africa and the Middle East. They target poultry and pig feed markets with cost-efficient production, while also pitching insect farming as a solution to local waste management challenges.

 

Enterra Feed (Canada): North American leader, supplying insect protein for aquaculture and pet food. Enterra works closely with regulators in Canada and the U.S., helping shape the region’s approval frameworks.

 

Competitive Dynamics

• Scale vs. Niche: Larger players like Ÿnsect and Protix are chasing industrial scale, while companies like Hexafly carve out niches with high-value extracts.

• Regional Anchors: Europe dominates in policy and innovation, Asia-Pacific in production growth, and North America in pet food demand.

• Partnership-Driven Growth: Many insect feed startups rely on partnerships with agribusiness giants (e.g., Cargill, ADM) to secure long-term markets and funding.

• Branding Matters: Pet food companies increasingly highlight insect protein on packaging — a trend that benefits suppliers with strong sustainability narratives.

Benchmarking note: While fishmeal and soymeal still dominate by sheer volume, insect protein suppliers are benchmarking themselves against these incumbents on price-per-protein unit, digestibility, and carbon footprint.

The competitive picture is clear: insect feed companies don’t just compete with each other — they compete against entrenched conventional proteins. Success depends on showing that insect protein is not only environmentally superior but also cost-competitive and scalable.

 

Regional Landscape And Adoption Outlook

Adoption of insect feed is unfolding at different speeds across regions, shaped by regulation, infrastructure, livestock priorities, and consumer attitudes. While Europe leads in policy and scale, Asia-Pacific is emerging as the volume engine, and North America is carving a niche around premium pet food.

North America

The U.S. and Canada are still in the early stages compared to Europe, but the momentum is visible. The FDA has gradually opened doors for insect-derived proteins in aquaculture, while pet food adoption has been faster thanks to eco-conscious millennial buyers. Pet food shelves in the U.S. already feature insect-protein dog treats, a trend unlikely to slow down. Aquaculture in the Pacific Northwest and Atlantic Canada is another growth pocket, especially for salmon farming. Challenges remain — regulatory approvals are case-by-case, and conventional soymeal remains cheaper — but North America is projected to see above-average CAGR driven by consumer-facing demand.

 

Europe

Europe is the global benchmark. Regulatory clarity from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the EU’s 2021 approval of insect protein in poultry and pig feed gave the sector legitimacy. France, the Netherlands, and Denmark host some of the largest insect feed plants, many of which are vertically integrated. Adoption is strongest in aquaculture and poultry, with sustainability targets driving substitution of fishmeal and soymeal. Public perception is also favorable ; consumers in Western Europe increasingly support insect-fed poultry and fish if it reduces deforestation and overfishing.

 

Asia-Pacific

This is the fastest-growing region. High aquaculture demand in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India makes insect protein an attractive alternative to fishmeal, which is costly and supply-constrained. Governments in China and Thailand are backing insect farming pilots, and private investors are ramping up funding for BSF-based startups. To put it in context: China’s shrimp and tilapia farms alone could absorb millions of tons of insect protein if scaled effectively. Japan and South Korea are more focused on pet food innovation, while Southeast Asia is all about aquaculture volume.

 

Latin America

Brazil is the standout, with its massive poultry and aquaculture industries seeking alternatives to imported feed. Several pilot insect farming facilities are under construction, often backed by European technology providers. Mexico is also exploring insect protein for aquaculture, though adoption is still limited. The biggest challenge here is cost — insect feed must compete directly with abundant local soymeal.

 

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

MEA adoption is early but strategic. South Africa is home to AgriProtein, one of the pioneering insect feed firms, and several Middle Eastern nations are exploring insect farming as part of food security strategies. Aquaculture in the Middle East (e.g., UAE, Saudi Arabia) is scaling, which may pull insect protein demand. Africa’s poultry industry is a potential future market, but fragmented supply chains and high upfront costs limit immediate adoption.

 

Key Outlook

• Europe will remain the policy leader and home to the largest insect feed facilities.

• Asia-Pacific will dominate in volume by 2030, particularly in aquaculture.

• North America will lead in premium pet food positioning.

• Latin America and MEA will see selective but steady adoption, tied to poultry and aquaculture growth.

The regional story is clear: insect feed is not spreading evenly. Each geography is adopting it for different reasons — sustainability in Europe, volume replacement in Asia-Pacific, and consumer branding in North America.

 

End-User Dynamics And Use Case

End users of insect feed range from industrial feed manufacturers to pet food innovators and smallholder farmers. Each group approaches insect protein differently, based on cost sensitivity, consumer visibility, and performance expectations.

Commercial Feed Manufacturers

These are the heavyweights of the market. Large feed companies blend insect meal into aquafeeds, poultry rations, and pig starter feeds. Their main focus is consistency and cost efficiency. For them, insect protein is less about marketing and more about securing a sustainable alternative to volatile fishmeal prices. Partnerships with startups like Innovafeed and Protix are common, as scale supply is still limited.

 

Pet Food Producers

Pet food brands treat insect protein as a premium differentiator. In Europe and North America, insect-based dog and cat food is marketed as hypoallergenic, sustainable, and even gourmet. Margins are higher than in livestock feed, which makes this an attractive end-user group for insect protein suppliers. Some brands now list insect protein as their hero ingredient on packaging, similar to how “grain-free” was once used as a selling point.

 

Aquaculture Farms

Fish and shrimp farmers are highly dependent on feed costs, which often account for more than 50% of production expenses. Insect protein helps reduce reliance on fishmeal, which is not only expensive but also environmentally constrained. Adoption is highest in Asia-Pacific, where aquaculture output is massive. Farmers focus on feed conversion ratios (FCRs) and animal health, both of which early trials show are competitive when using insect meal.

 

Poultry and Pig Farmers

This group is more cautious, adopting insect feed incrementally. Trials show benefits in gut health and reduced antibiotic use, but cost competitiveness remains an issue. Europe is the most advanced region in this segment thanks to supportive regulation.

 

Smallholder Farmers

In parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, smallholder farmers are experimenting with on-site insect farming — drying larvae or crickets to feed chickens and fish. This is less about commercial scaling and more about low-cost, circular nutrition, often supported by NGOs and agricultural development programs.

 

Use Case Highlight

A tilapia farm in Vietnam recently piloted insect protein supplied by Entobel, replacing 25% of fishmeal in its feed mix. The results were striking: feed conversion ratios improved slightly, survival rates increased, and total feed costs dropped by 12% due to reduced dependency on imported fishmeal. More importantly, the farm marketed its fish as “eco-fed” to local retailers, achieving a premium price.

This case illustrates how insect feed isn’t just about cost savings — it’s also a branding tool in downstream markets. Farmers can capture new consumer segments by linking feed sustainability to food value.

In short, end-user adoption is highly segmented. Feed manufacturers want scale and reliability, pet food producers want differentiation, aquaculture farms want cost relief, and smallholders want resilience. Insect feed’s versatility allows it to serve all four, though the growth story differs for each.

 

Recent Developments + Opportunities & Restraints

Recent Developments (Last 2 Years)

• Ÿnsect (France) expanded its vertical farming facility in Amiens (2023), one of the largest insect protein production sites globally, focused on mealworm-derived protein for pet food and aquaculture.

• Protix (Netherlands) secured a major partnership with Cargill (2023) to scale insect protein inclusion in aquaculture feeds across Europe and Asia.

• Innovafeed (France) announced a long-term supply deal with Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) in 2024, aimed at integrating insect protein into North American feed chains.

• Entobel (Vietnam) inaugurated its new industrial-scale black soldier fly (BSF) plant in 2023, one of Southeast Asia’s largest, to support regional aquaculture farms.

• Hexafly (Ireland) launched an insect oil line in 2024 for premium pet food, marketed as a sustainable omega-rich alternative to fish oil.

 

Opportunities

• Aquaculture Expansion: Growing fish and shrimp farming in Asia-Pacific creates sustained demand for alternatives to fishmeal.

• Pet Food Premiumization: Rising consumer interest in sustainable, hypoallergenic protein sources positions insect feed as a high-margin ingredient.

• Circular Economy Integration: Insect farming’s ability to recycle food waste into protein aligns with global sustainability policies, opening funding and regulatory support.

 

Restraints

• High Production Costs: Industrial insect feed is still more expensive than soymeal or fishmeal, limiting adoption in cost-sensitive markets.

• Regulatory Fragmentation: While Europe has supportive frameworks, approvals in North America, Latin America, and Africa remain inconsistent and slow-moving.

• Scaling Challenges: Supply volumes are limited; many facilities are still pilot-scale, making it hard to meet industrial feed manufacturers’ requirements.

 

7.1. Report Coverage Table

Report Attribute	Details
Forecast Period	2024 – 2030
Market Size Value in 2024	USD 1.4 Billion
Revenue Forecast in 2030	USD 2.3 Billion
Overall Growth Rate	CAGR of 8.6% (2024 – 2030)
Base Year for Estimation	2024
Historical Data	2019 – 2023
Unit	USD Million, CAGR (2024 – 2030)
Segmentation	By Product Type, By Application, By End User, By Region
By Product Type	Meal (Protein Powder), Oils and Fats, Whole Dried Insects, Frass
By Application	Aquaculture Feed, Poultry Feed, Pig Feed, Pet Food
By End User	Commercial Feed Manufacturers, Pet Food Producers, Smallholder Farmers, Research Institutes
By Region	North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa
Country Scope	U.S., Canada, Germany, France, UK, China, India, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, etc.
Market Drivers	- Rising aquaculture demand and fishmeal shortages - Pet food premiumization with insect protein - Integration into circular economy and waste-to-protein systems
Customization Option	Available upon request