A Trip to Québec City, Montreal for the Insect to Feed the World Conference 2022
The month of June was an exciting and bustling time for the team at Insect Feed Technologies. One of the key highlights is attending the fourth edition of the Insect to Feed the World Conference 2022 which took place in Québec City between June 12th to 16th, 2022.
Insect to Feed the World Conference 2022
The conference is known for being the hub for discussing innovative ideas and novel foods in the nascent insect industry. This attracts renowned academics, governmental organizations, as well as leading industrial partners, pioneering the field of edible insects.
As the world’s leading conference on all aspects of insects as food and feed, the Insects to Feed the World Conference provides a venue for an extensive discussion about the salient topics in the sector, as well as an opportunity for businesses in the sector to network and promote their products.
Insect Feed Technologies' Attendance
It was our team's first time attending the conference and it was truly a privilege being invited as part of the Singapore delegation led by Enterprise Singapore. The team was represented by our Founder, Sean Tan, and our Head of Commercial, Marcus Wong.
Marcus Wong and Sean Tan at the Insect Feed Technologies booth
The team also managed to represent the SG Pavillion to showcase and represent what our local insect companies can do, and what we can offer to the rest of the world when it comes to using insects to solve global sustainability challenges including food security and a sustainable food production system.
The team's objective in attending the conference is to absorb and gain insights from pioneers in the insect industry. The second is to look for partners who can help IFT scale and automate our operations and lastly, to get to know individuals who are keen to have a production partner in Southeast Asia.
The Singapore Delegation
What the Team Did there
The conference included a jam-packed program that not only consisted of plenary discussion but also site visits to production facilities as well as gastronomical insect adventures.
La Centrale Agricole
One of the most memorable visits would be to the La Centrale Agricole (an agricultural cooperative) in Ahuntsic-Cartierville.
Le Centrale Agricole in Ahuntsic-Cartierville
The Centrale Agricole brings together some fifteen agricultural organizations under one roof. This includes food producers, distributors, and processors. In particular, the production of vines, mushrooms and aromatic herbs, edible insects, and aquaculture. It was insightful to understand the dynamics of these entities working together under one roof to build a truly circular economy.
Montreal Insectarium
We also visited the Montreal Insectarium where we got the chance to interact with the insects and reinvent our relationships with them.
Insect exhibit at the Montreal Insectarium
The museum houses more than 3,000 species of insects – some of which roam freely, as well as more than 3,000 plants of 150 different varieties. It also features a variety of immersive and educational experiences, including butterflies flying freely all year round, and an underground environment inspired by various insect habitats — nests, chambers, galleries, vegetation, and soil.
Butterflies roaming freely
Eating Insects
Throughout the conference, we were served multiple dishes integrating edible insects, specifically ants.
Cheese Puffs with ants and a tomato vinaigrette salad with ants
The most common insect ingredient is ants throughout the conference. An interesting fact about ants is that they taste citrusy, like lemons. Ants, especially red ones, produce formic acid which gives them their unique taste.
Key Takeaways
The week-long conference communicated the opportunities and exciting plans ahead in the insect industry. A consistent message throughout the conference this year is how insects will have an integral part in the future of sustainable agriculture and food systems. Our team gained valuable insights into how the industry uses insects for food security, advances communal knowledge, and promotes innovation for the sector.
We are thankful to Enterprise Singapore for the opportunity and will not only bring home the insights gained but also the happy memories created with the rest of the Singapore delegation.
