Chapul Cricket Protein Bar
College roommates are looking to introduce the American public to a unique snack while also addressing serious worldwide concerns.
Chapul founders Pat Crowley of Salt Lake City and Dan O’Neill of San Francisco are looking to bring the snack of nutritious, energy cricket bars to the forefront by showing the public the benefits of eating them. To give you an understanding of what these cricket bars are like think of the Clif Bars, only you have bugs.
Crowley said when it comes to the psychology of eating bugs; it’s a huge hurdle to overcome, despite the fact that bugs are nutritious and environmentally friendly. Crowley, who is a rafting and surf guide, ate insects while traveling around the world. He said he became interested in making the practice more commonplace after watching TED Talk on insect diet benefits.
Crowley said he actually went home to catch bugs but couldn’t do it, eventually turning to the Internet to purchase insects.
Crowley enlisted O’Neill with the idea of starting up a company over some sautéed crickets and beer. O’Neill is a financial analyst who has a serious audacious streak. With the marketing campaign they have in place, both insect-eating evangelists are looking to succeed.
Consumption of insects isn’t new in San Francisco. Don Bugito stirred the pot with his wax moth larvae taco and mealworm sprinkles on ice cream. For those folks who are a bit less adventurous, eating bugs can be difficult to “consume”.
Crowley said some folks have issues with the shift in culture so the two men are looking into how to deal with this. And, it’s beginning with the California roll just like sushi did with the American diet. He said the California roll works great because people are not intimated by the texture.
Rather than giving customers whole bugs, it begins with ground crickets, coconut, ginger, agave, nuts, dates and a bunch of other delicious ingredients. And, the cricket bars are only the beginning. Next up, burgers… bug burgers!
Do you want to give cricket bars a whirl? If so, all you need to do is donate $20 to the Kickstarter program, and the men will gladly send you a box.
Lugia
I have eaten bugs before and will eat them as long as they’re dead =) they’re my number one food if I were to become homeless. I can’t wait to try more new things!