Food scientist and entomologist Skye Blackburn started her edible bug farm 12 years ago. Kim Berry caught up with Blackburn as her Edible Bug Shop cricket powder gets ready to be stocked in Woolworths.
Twelve years ago, food scientist and entomologist Skye Blackburn was travelling to schools educating children about bugs and specifically, edible bugs. At the same time, she was building Australia’s first edible insect farm and breeding insects for human consumption.
Blackburn has just clocked over educating her one millionth student and been recognised for her innovative work with her company, Edible Bug Shop, by being selected as one of the six inaugural grant recipients in Mars Food’s Seeds of Change Accelerator program.
“People’s initial dislike for the idea is reducing all the time, but also, there’s a lot more information and education around so once you start talking to them it’s a lot easier to change their minds,” she told Food & Drink Business.