Imagine crickets in energy bar products for a minute. Well, a Utah company called Chapul sells the crunch candy bars containing insects. What's more, the novelty cricket energy bars come in a variety of flavors and are supposedly healthier than beef and other animal products for human consumption.
According to a report on Mar. 7 from ABC News, the Salt Lake City company selling crickets in energy bars is raising eyebrows all across the country.
The owner of the small candy bar business says the products are meant to appeal to health and environmentally-conscious consumers. Perhaps, they forgot to mention, those who will trying anything at least once.
"It basically means that insects have similar protein contents [to] livestock, but are healthier because they have less fat. We thought the people who would be most receptive are environmentally conscious and food conscious people who already eat healthy products and energy bars," said Pat Crowley, founder of Chapul.
It's odd that a product would sell be introduced into the western diet, primarily because Americans thrive on long-embraced staples like beef, pork, fish and poultry.
However, Crowley says that people will be surprised by the flavor profile of crickets in energy bars.
Because the crunchy, flying and hopping insects have a mild flavor, the meat takes on the flavor it's complimented with, much like soy products.
Additionally, while both the insects and cows are high in protein -- about 57 percent -- crickets are much lower in fat. That alone could be a selling point for ambitious consumers.
Will the crickets in energy bar idea sell or flop?
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