[LUM#8] Insectivore

[LUM Magazine] - Published on January 8, 2019 in Entrepreneurship, Science and Society

Promoting the consumption of insects is the very serious professional project of Benoit Salmon, a student entrepreneur with a pioneering spirit.

How will we be able to feed the 10 billion people who will inhabit the planet by 2050? The question seemed a world away from Benoit Salmon’s path at the time, as a master’s student in entrepreneurship at Montpellier Management. “I was helping out a friend who was working on this topic, and something just clicked, ”the young man explains. That realization presented a real challenge for the student: how to ensure everyone has an adequate protein intake while protecting the environment? One solution: eating insects.“For the same amount of protein, raising certain insects consumes up to 200 times less water than producing meat—it’s a crucial issue in terms of sustainable development,” explains Benoit Salmon.

He then decided to take on the challenge and make it the focus of his first-year master’s project:“I founded the company Let’s Try, whose goal was to market food products made from insect flour.” The young man quickly ran into regulatory hurdles. Rather than giving up on his project, he decided to adapt it.“I then made it my mission to promote the consumption of insects.” To achieve this, Benoit Salmon decided to create a new media outlet aimed at industry professionals.“I provide them with high-quality information through market analysis, industry monitoring, and a press review.” The website Entomophagy and Business, the first media outlet dedicated to the edible insect market, was thus launched.

A Lobby for Edible Insects

While awaiting the official launch of his media outlet, Benoit Salmon has chosen a new path aimed at making room for insects in the food supply. He is currently in Brussels, where he works forthe International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF), the association representing producers of insects for animal feed and human consumption at the European level. In charge of internal and external communications, he manages social media and internal and external newsletters, implements communication tools, and handles press relations.“This internship allows me to gain experience in this field and to work more closely with all the key players in the sector,” the young man says enthusiastically.

Benoit Salmon was able to carry out his original project thanks in part to tailored support.“I was fortunate enough to have student-entrepreneur status during my time at university,” he explains. “In particular, I was able to replace my master’s internship with real-world market research in Asia—that was a major advantage, ”emphasizes the student entrepreneur, who hopes to carve out a small niche for mealworms or crickets on our grocery store shelves.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Students, LUM#8, LUM Magazine