---
title: Your dog eats bugs for free, but now you can spend money on it
description: Pet bellies are the first wave of a sustainable movement.
---

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# [Your dog eats bugs for free, but now you can spend money on it](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/your-dog-eats-bugs-for-free-but-now-you-can-spend-money-on-it)

 Written by [Ben Berkley](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/author/ben-berkley) | Jul 6, 2023 10:14:25 PM

The movement to feed pets insect protein is gaining ground — then farming that ground for bugs and feeding them to our pets again.

You know, circle of life and all that.

#### **Insect protein for our pets?**

It’s already happening, and this party’s only getting started — the global insect protein market is projected to reach [$3.3B](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/05/10/2665535/0/en/Insect-Protein-Market-is-Anticipated-to-Grow-3-3-billion-by-2027.html) by 2027.

- Jiminy’s is [working](https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidriemer/2022/11/07/jiminys-is-fighting-climate-change-one-pet-treat-at-a-time/) on its Series A, on the strength of a Petco distribution deal for its powdered cricket protein dog food and treats.
- Hope Pet Food recently [expanded](https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/17002-hope-pet-food-launches-new-insect-based-dog-treats) its “Berry Buglicious” treat line, made from black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) protein.

#### **Why is this happening?**

It starts with sustainability — harvesting insect protein requires less land and water than raising traditional animal protein. Insect consumption has [long been discussed](https://www.newsweek.com/eating-insects-could-help-fight-world-hunger-1173856) as a way to combat hunger and food insecurity.

This push to protect global resources has started with US pet food manufacturers, which churn through [8.65m tons](https://www.afia.org/feedfacts/feed-industry-stats/pet-food-report/) of plant- and animal-based ingredients annually.

#### **Cue your “yuck” face…**

… but do you think the average dog minds? Most would gladly reserve a table at a sewage facility if they could.

Owners’ minds are shifting. [Per](https://www.petfoodindustry.com/pet-food-market/blog/15468904/insect-protein-hype-or-hope-for-pet-foods-future) *Petfood Industry*, a study found 55% of pet owners would add insect protein to their pets’ diets after learning more, versus 42% pre-education. That’s up from 36% and 23%, respectively, in 2020.

**Price check: **Sounding unappetizing *and* being significantly more expensive will be a challenge for creepy-crawly chefs — Jiminy’s Cravin’ Cricket dry dog food ([$5.90/lb](https://www.chewy.com/jiminys-cravin-cricket-dry-dog-food/dp/261071?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12789771081&utm_content=Jiminy%27s&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAjwsvujBhAXEiwA_UXnACN9Q_PI61ctZa7e5Z7QXw-Ra8X6f6mjNpKjGMHC776zDEyQovCo0xoCd7gQAvD_BwE)) doesn’t compare favorably to Purina Dog Chow ([$1.37/lb](https://www.chewy.com/dog-chow-complete-adult-real-chicken/dp/166244)).

[View full post](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/your-dog-eats-bugs-for-free-but-now-you-can-spend-money-on-it)

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