Mr Bug maintained its sustainable momentum in October by winning Pet Quip Gold in the blue riband Green & Organic category, an industry award that further underpins Mr Bug’s staunch commitment to eco-friendly farming practices and the wider circular economy.
‘Awards are an unrivalled means for smaller start-ups like Mr Bug to explain to the wider pet food fraternity what we’re up to and having already secured Nourish Good (ingredient integrity), A Blue Patch rosette + a Global Good gong (sustainable thinking) plus a Good Shopping Ethical accreditation, it’s clear to see that Mr Bug’s compass is clearly set at championing not only nutritious insect protein (low in saturated fat mealworms) but a lighter carbon footprint Vs clunky traditional farming.’
The environmental impact of total pet food production already equates to the total environmental impact of a land mass the size of France
The ‘big vision’ of eco-efficient vertical farming had sat in Conal’s head ever since he returned to his Devon roots back in 2020, but thanks to a beer-fuelled strategy meeting with great friend Paul Walton in their local pub, the UK’s 1st rural mealworm farm became a reality; helped in no small part by a generous, government-backed Innovate grant enabled him to establish a leading edge, vertically stacked mealworm farm operation
Vertically-stacked insect farms require significantly less land (10th) and less water (1/4th) than a traditional cattle farm and have a significant reduced impact on the wider environment (10th).
With a 4-strong insect protein dog-treats range launched in late 22 and a superfood seasoning shaker launched this Summer, Mr Bug is well placed to expand its indie pet store and garden centre presence whilst doing everything it can to secure meaningful trials and listings within those nationwide petfood retailers truly committed to reducing their carbon footprint.
