The Western Europe Insect Feed Market is poised to exhibit USD 479.5 million in 2025. The industry is slated to depict 16.6% CAGR from 2025 to 2035, witnessing USD 1,834.2 million by 2035. The industry is expected to witness strong growth over the coming decade.
Edible insects gained interest as an alternative feed for animals in 2013 due to increasing demands for more sustainable production methods across the globe. Insects, such as black soldier fly larvae, mealworms, and crickets, are rich in protein and other essential amino acids, providing an alternative to conventional feed ingredients like fishmeal and soy.
Industry expansion is mainly driven by the increased concern about environmental impact. Insects need far less land, water and feed than conventional livestock and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
This makes them a two-in-one solution to gain an environmentally friendly animal food production, which is common with the EU’s supplementation to sustainable farming and climate visions. The ability of insects to grow on organic waste into high-value protein helps mitigate the problem of food waste, which increases their attraction.
Another driving force behind the growth is the rising global demand for animal protein, especially in aquaculture and the poultry sector. As the world's population continues to grow and dietary preferences shift towards protein-rich foods, the demand for efficient and sustainable protein sources is mounting. Insects might be farmed at scale and integrated into animal feed formulations, delivering a constant and cheap source of protein.
In addition, there is regulatory support from the European governments that is helpful well apart in feeding insects in animal feeds. The competition drew joint ventures between animal feed and insect start-up companies, since the European Union has implemented regulations that enable safe inclusion of insect-based ingredients in livestock feed, stimulating the growth of this industry.
This confluence of environmental, economic and regulatory drivers is pushing the insect feed industry forward in the target region, making it a prominent component of the future food systems in Western Europe.
| Metrics | Values |
|---|---|
| Industry Size (2025E) | USD 479.5 million |
| Industry Value (2035F) | USD 1,834.2 million |
| CAGR (2025 to 2035) | 16.6% |
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Western Europe has seen prominent trends and variations in the insect feed industry in terms of end-use applications, including livestock and aquaculture, in response to growing consumer demand for sustainable protein sources.
Aquaculture is still one of the biggest end users, with fish farming needing high-protein feed, and insect-based ingredients are a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional fishmeal. Insect feed is part of novel ingredients in aquaculture with increasing demand for sustainable seafood while the pressure is increasing on the fishing industry, whereby reducing the dependency on wild-caught fish and improving the environmental profile of aquaculture operations.
The trend for plant-based and sustainable feed ingredients is expanding in poultry and livestock sectors. With insects being a more sustainable yet digestible protein source for human consumption as well as for animal feed, farmers leading in low-impact animal rearing are increasingly accepting results from insect bioconversion for poultry rations versus trying to get by with other feed materials such as soy. This shift is in line with the growing consumer demand for ethically produced animal products.
Constituents will only adopt a new technology if they can trust its safety, and regulatory approval has been a major factor that drives purchasing decisions. In Europe, the use of insect based feed ingredients in some animal feed has been approved, accelerating the transition. This allows farmers to have access to buyers in the industry who prioritize traceability, quality assurance and EU regulations encouraging safe and sustainable production processes.
There is also growing emphasis on cost-efficiency. However, as insect farming technologies advance, insect feed production systems are becoming more scalable, positioning insect feed as a more competitive alternative to conventional feed ingredients.
The industry overall is defined by a mix of sustainability, innovation, and regulatory alignment while purchasing criteria is rooted in the cost-effective nature of ingredients as they relate to environmental and nutritional factors.
There have been considerable changes in insect feed industry in Western Europe between 2020 and 2024 due to environmental sustainability and need for alternative protein sources. However, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed weaknesses in global supply chains, demonstrating the necessity for more resilient and sustainable agricultural practices. Consequently, the adoption of insect-based feed increased in light of the problems surrounding traditional feed production factors.
Favorable regulations also spurred growth: the European Union, for instance, recently approved the use of insect-based ingredients in animal feed, and created new opportunities for how quickly bulk adoption can occur. Additionally, consumer interest in sustainable and humane animal products encouraged sectors such as aquaculture and poultry farming to investigate more environmentally friendly feed.
The insect feed industry is expected to grow exponentially in the years 2025 to 2035 with the growing demand for sustainable protein. Ongoing technological innovations related to insect cultivation will further scale-down costs, resulting in higher competitiveness as a feed source compared to conventional solutions.
Also, circular economy models, in which insects recycle organic waste, will be more widely adopted, making them even more sustainable. Finally, the industry for insect protein will expand beyond aquaculture and poultry into new markets such as pet food and even livestock feed.
The transition to insect feed as a central building block in a more sustainable, future-proof food system in Western Europe, will be driven by increasingly aware consumers and stricter environmental regulations.
Comparative Industry Shift Analysis 2020 to 2024 vs. 2025 to 2035
| 2020 to 2024 Industry Shifts | 2025 to 2035 Future Trends |
|---|---|
| The EU allowed the use of insect-based ingredients in animal feed, opening the door to broader EU adoption of insects in fields as diverse as aquaculture and poultry. This shift had served to legitimize the industry. | With additional regulatory backing and pan-European harmonization, even wider adoption could follow into further markets such as pet food and animal feed. |
| Shifting concerns about the effects of traditional feed sources including soy and fishmeal on the environment had created interest in using insect-based feed as a more sustainable option. | Insect farming will be even more aligned with the circular economy, where organic waste becomes high quality protein. Which will greatly minimize waste and resource consumption. |
| Efficiency of insect farming improved using technological innovations and helped reduce the production costs of insects, making the price of insect feed more compatible with traditional feed ingredients. | Automation and large-scale insect farming technologies will reduce the cost of insect-based feed by an additional 50% by 2035, making it much more accessible and affordable for a wide range of industries. |
| Insect protein was mainly sold into aquaculture and poultry, with early stepwise entry into pet food and other specialty products. | The production of insects as feed will enter new markets such as pet food, livestock feed, and potentially human food, which can also add wider avenues for industry expansion. |
However, there are numerous risks to the Western Europe insect feed market, which may limit its growth and sustainability over the next few years. Regulatory uncertainty is one of the major hurdles. Reduced industry uptake can thus result from changes in legislation or the lag in regulatory approval of new uses or species of insect feed, although the EU has recently made progress in terms of the approval of insect-based feed. The question of maintaining quality control standards remains one of the major challenges ahead that may create entry barriers and make insect farming commercial viability harder to scale.
Consumer acceptance and perception is another major risk. While consumer interest in sustainability is growing, and most people are fine with the idea of eating insects themselves, there are concerns about the safety and desirability of insect-based products featuring in animal feed especially where food animals (for example, poultry and fish) are concerned. Negative views from the public may hinder widespread acceptance of insect feed, particularly if potential allergens and contaminants are of concern.
This also makes it a significant supply chain risk. The insect farming sector depends upon the ready supply of appropriate organic waste or feedstocks and any disruption in supply chains can cause production bottlenecks, which, in turn, will lead to price volatility as well as supply shortages. Furthermore, companies in other fields, like biofuels or composting, might compete for waste materials that would otherwise be used as a resource for insect farms, hindering their growth potential.
At last, costs will be a dominant issue, as dynamic value of traditional feed constituents can influence the economic feasibility of insect feeds. Although insect feed is highly sustainable, the cost of insect production in the early stages, especially before economies of scale come into play, can be high. And if prices for conventional feed fall down (or are very low) it may make it less attractive for farmers to consider switching to insect-based feed.
The predominant insect used for animal feed production in Western Europe is larvae of flies, particularly black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). They can convert organic waste into protein and fat, making them an efficient source of food that is suitable for sustainable use in feed.
As BSFL can thrive on organic byproducts and provide high-protein and high-quality products, they have become the ideal choice for aquaculture. BSFL are already approved by the European Union to be used in animal feed, which promotes their wide adoption.
Another insect used in niche applications in the feed industry is the silkworm. But they have less prevalence than fly larvae. The most common uses of silkworms are in their quality protein and nutrients. This technology is applied in the feed formulations for livestock and pet food, but much less common than fly larvae.
Fish feed with insects specifically is mostly used in Western Europe. Many aquatic species that are extensively farmed, particularly fish, demand large quantities of protein-based feed to thrive. Traditional protein sources like fishmeal present environmental concerns, due to overfishing and depletion of marine resources. Insect feed, especially from black-soldier fly larvae, represents an alternative that's more sustainable and a high-quality protein source and reduces the reliance on fishmeal.
Some of the major players operating in the Western European insect feed market include Entocycle, AgriProtein Technologies Ltd., Ynfiniti, FlyFarm, and Koppert Biological Systems. They address the increasing demand for protein alternatives for animal feed, while promoting sustainability and circular economy ideals.
Insects, black soldier fly larvae in particular, are fast gaining status as a sustainable meat substitutes, offering high-quality protein and key nutrients, producing less pollution and greenhouse gas than traditional sources of feed such as fishmeal and soy.
There are a mix of big players with new upstarts as they all get rides in this growing industry by investing heavily in technology and sustainable practices to take a slice of this growing industry. In this competitive landscape, major growth is driven by strategic partnerships, technological advancements, and improved insect farming infrastructure. Firms are researching additional use cases for insect-based feed, including in pet food and livestock nutrition, to expand their potential markets.
Industry Share Analysis by Company
| Company Name | Estimated Industry Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Better Origin | 8-12% |
| Entec Nutrition | 6-8% |
| FarmInsect | 5-7% |
| Ÿnsect | 15-20% |
| EntoGreen | 3-5% |
| Nextprotein | 5-8% |
| Bühler AG | 7-10% |
| Hexafly | 4-6% |
| Enviroflight | 6-8% |
| Coppens | 3-5% |
| Company Name | Key Offerings/Activities |
|---|---|
| Better Origin | It focuses on insect protein for animal feed at the heart of sustainability. Well-known for its innovative approach on circular agriculture |
| Entec Nutrition | Insect-based protein for livestock and aquaculture; perspective of sustainability and nutrient value of feed products. |
| FarmInsect | Focuses on black soldier fly larval insect meal production and provides protein-rich feed ingredients for use in poultry, fish and pet food. |
| Ÿnsect | A leading producer of sustainable protein sources and fertilizers based on insect life cycles, they primarily focus on black soldier fly and mealworms for animal feeds. |
| EntoGreen | It breeds fly larvae to create high-quality protein and oil for animal feed, focusing mainly on aquaculture and poultry sectors. |
| Nextprotein | Specializes in the production of insect protein from black soldier fly larvae, targeting the animal feed and pet food markets. |
| Bühler AG | Focus on technology as a new form of sustainability in food systems |
| Hexafly | Aimed at providing a high-quality feed ingredient for aquaculture and poultry. |
| Enviroflight | Produces a high protein meal to be used for animal feed from black soldier fly larvae with a focus on waste reduction and sustainability. |
| Coppens | Has a portfolio offering innovative feed solutions based on insect protein, committed to sustainability and quality in animal nutrition. |
Ÿnsect’s focuses on high-tech insect production and bio-processing operations, which allows it to remain at the forefront with quality insect protein at large-scale production coupled with full-system integration.
Both Better Origin and Nextprotein are innovative players in insect feed, addressing sustainable agriculture, while also delivering scalable feed ingredients for aquaculture and poultry.
Entec Nutrition specializes in insect-based solutions for aquaculture, while FarmInsect also focuses on the livestock sector and aims to keep feed sustainable to reduce the environmental footprint of conventional feed ingredient production and consumption.
Both Enviroflight and Hexafly are growing their operations with an emphasis on circular economy, targeting organic waste as feedstock that can be converted into niche insect protein and minimizing their planetary footprint.
Bühler AG focuses on high-end technology to developed enhanced capabilities of feed solutions.
In contrast to larger companies, smaller players such as EntoGreen and Coppens target specific insect feed solutions and niche markets (such as pet food and aquaculture) with a sustainability aspect.
The industry is expected to reach USD 479.5 million in 2025.
The market is projected to witness USD 1,834.2 million by 2035.
It is widely used in aquaculture.
Leading companies include Better Origin, Entec Nutrition, FarmInsect, Ÿnsect, EntoGreen, Nextprotein, Buhler AG, Hexafly, Enviroflight, and Coppens.
In terms of insect type, the industry is divided into fly larvae, silkworms, cicadas, and other insects.
With respect to application, the industry is classified into aquaculture, pig nutrition, poultry nutrition, dairy nutrition, and other applications.
Country-wise, the industry is classified into the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and the rest of Western Europe.
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Western Europe Insect Feed Market
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