Insect-Based Ice Cream Might Soon Be Available at Your Local Grocery Store

The next time you visit your neighborhood ice cream parlor, instead of the classic double-chocolate fudge, you might try something unexpected... like caramel cricket? This is one idea being explored by a South African start-up that creates ice cream with insect milk.

After earning her master's degree in food science, where she researched insects as a sustainable food source, Leah Bessa co-founded Gourmet Grubb in Cape Town. The company creates insect-based 'dairy' products, complete with eco-friendly packaging and a modern website. Its mission is to change how people view eating bugs, turning them into irresistible treats for everyone.

Gourmet Grubb’s ice cream contains only three ingredients: honey, flavorings like cocoa or chai spices, and the secret element, EntoMilk. This proprietary product is derived from black soldier fly larvae and is packed with nutrients. EntoMilk is five times richer in protein than dairy, free from lactose, and provides a wealth of minerals, including calcium, zinc, and iron. The larvae are raised on a farm, thoroughly cleaned, and sterilized before being used, as Bessa shared with the South African site Crush.

For many, though, the main hurdle is overcoming the "squeamish" factor. However, there's no need to worry about seeing any insect parts in the ice cream. "This ice cream is produced in a batch freezer, much like gelato-style ice cream. The difference is that instead of dairy, we use a 'milk' created from insects," Bessa explained in an email interview. "Honey is used to sweeten it, and natural flavors like cocoa are added."

So, how does it taste? Not surprisingly, Bessa is a fan. "It’s delicious! It’s rich due to the natural ingredients, with an earthy undertone," she says.

But Bessa isn’t the only one enjoying it. In at least one blind taste test, the insect-infused ice cream outperformed some traditional varieties.

With the United Nations forecasting rapid population growth — our current 7.7 billion could reach 9.7 billion by 2050 — the challenge of feeding so many people looms large. Conventional protein sources use excessive resources for the food they produce, negatively affect water and land quality, and raise concerns about animal welfare and human health.

Insects are ubiquitous, scurrying and buzzing across nearly every corner of the earth. There are approximately 2,000 edible species waiting to be sampled. Gourmet Grubb aims to "transform the way you think about insects as a food alternative, particularly as a substitute for dairy products," as stated on their website. At present, the product is available only in South Africa, though the founders hope to expand globally in the future.

Gourmet Grubb isn’t the only company bringing insect ice cream to the world. Ice cream shops in New York, London, and Sydney have experimented with the idea, often as a quirky novelty or temporary offering. If cockroach milk has already gained popularity, can widespread bug ice cream be far behind?