Founded in 2013 by designers Daniel Craig and Matthew Genefaas, Crawlers is a clever combination of ethics and aesthetics. The Auckland-based brand has developed and released to market a range of Edible Insects products, including cricket pasta, edible centipedes and silkworm flour. As bugs are already part of the traditional diet of two billion people around the world, Crawlers’ founders are convinced that insect-based ingredients will help feed the planet.
What is your company background, how did you start the business?
“Edible insects are already consumed by 80 percent of the world, with the western countries not quite there yet. Having seen a gap in the NZ market, we decided to use our graphic design and product design backgrounds to good use, and start a cool brand that was focused on ‘all things insects’.
What are the current product range and variants and how do these products stand out in the market?
“Crawlers is New Zealand’s first and largest supplier of edible insects. Our ranges include cricket flour, locust flour, silkworm flour, cricket pasta, protein bars (made with cricket flour), whole roasted crickets, grasshoppers and mealworms, chocolate-covered insects, edible centipedes and tarantulas, to name a few. All products, except our Choc Coated Insects, are gluten-free and dairy-free.”
Has there been any recent company news?
“We started three years ago launching our chocolate covered insects and small bagged edible insects. Since then, we have slowly been releasing new product lines, such as our insect flours, cricket pasta and our ‘Bulk’ range. The latter is our latest range of 500g Crickets, Grasshoppers and Mealworms, catering to the foodservice industry (bars, restaurants and events).”
What are the plans for the business moving forward, is there any expansion on the horizon?
“Crawlers being the first and largest in NZ, it will continue to grow in every area as we educate New Zealand more and more about eating edible insects and their benefits.”
Where are your products currently available to buy, and are you looking at or wanting to expand your availability? If so, where would you like to see the product situated?
“Our Edible Insect range has been available to buy from our online store (www.crawlers.co.nz) and around 15 homeware stores that we have been supplying for the past two-and-half years. Recently, we have expanded our newest ranges to bars, restaurants and health stores across the country.”
