Starting this month, shoppers at certain locations of South Korean retailer E-mart will be able to purchase 30g cereal packets containing edible insects in powdered form. (Image: E-Mart)
SEOUL, April 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Starting this month, shoppers at certain locations of South Korean retailer E-mart will be able to purchase 30g cereal packets containing powdered edible insects.
Named “Futureal”, the cereal packets contain 1.5 to 2.5 times more protein than other cereal products thanks to the inclusion of the insects as well as high-protein mushrooms as ingredients.
Named “Futureal”, the cereal packets contain 1.5 to 2.5 times more protein that other cereal products thanks to the inclusion of the insects as well as high-protein mushrooms as ingredients. (Image: E-Mart)
An E-mart spokesperson said insects were added in powdered form to ease consumers’ aversion to insects as food.
Insect consumption is projected to soar in coming years. Government sources indicate that the market was 6 billion won in 2015 and will grow to 100 billion won by 2020.
An E-mart spokesperson said insects in powdered form were used to ease commonly held stereotypes and aversion to insects as food. (Image: E-Mart)
The first big box retailer to sell an insect-added cereal product, Futureal is being sold at Star Super in Dogok-dong (Seoul), PK Markets in Goyang and Hanam (Gyeonggi Province) and SSG Food Markets in Cheongdam-dong (Seoul) and Marine City (Busan).
S.B.W. (sbw266@koreabizwire.com)
