If you find yourself grocery shopping at Coop supermarkets in Switzerland in the near future, it may pay to check the ingredients list twice. Mealworm larvae are headed toward store shelves this year as processed “burgers” and “meatballs.”
If your inner foodie is cringing, it’s understandable. The food is pre-packaged, nukable, and doesn’t mention the word “organic” anywhere. Thankfully, entomophages who prefer their bugs artisanal can still head east for the insect-forward delicacies of Bangkok, or cultivate their own insect farm kits for more enclosure-to-table insect dining experiences.
Mass produced bugs have broader goals. Switzerland’s largest grocery retailer is adding them to grocery store shelves to encourage people of all palates to buy more planet-friendly protein that costs less land, water and resources to produce than beef. Soon, executives say, they will expand their insect product line to prepare for the not-too-distant future a few decades from now when everyone will be eating bugs.
If you’re curious to know what that future tastes like, you can grab “burgers” or “meatballs” right from the shelves beginning May 2017.
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To read more about eating larval mealworms at Swiss grocery stores, visit Business Insider.