After the explosive popularity of plant-based “meat” like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, it’s only a matter of time before bugs reclaim their own spot on the dinner table. According to Meticulous Research data cited in a new Barclays report, insect protein is poised to become an $8 billion business by 2030, reports Insider. (For reference, Barclays predicts the plant-based meat market could grow from $14 billion to $140 billion over the next 10 years.)

2 billion people in more than 113 countries around the world already eat insects, according to a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Food Quality and Safety. The market has already seen some edible insect companies, but per Barclays, eating bugs will only become more common as the global population grows and as Gen Z — the “most health-aware and environmentally conscious” generation — seeks alternatives to traditional meat. It will likely be normalized to Americans the same way sushi and fake meat have been: by first appearing on the menus of higher-end, independent restaurants, and then trickling down to supermarket shelves.

Larger companies have duly taken notice: Insider notes that Tyson has included the demand for cricket protein in a list of food trends, while Nestle said it is conducting research and development into insect species. With a potential $8 billion on the table, it may not be long before munching on fried crickets becomes as quotidian as ordering a fake-meat burger.

Source: Eater.com

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