A year after securing more than $60 million in public and private investments for its new insect production facility, Québec-based Entosystem has inaugurated its 100,000-square-foot site, which now has the largest production capacity in North America.

The automated industrial system aims to allow Entosystem to reuse 90,000 tons of organic matter each year and producing 5,000 tons of high-quality protein-rich larvae and 15,000 tons of approved fertilizer for organic farming. All this through a zero-waste process.

The organic materials recovered from farms to grocery stores are used to feed the black soldier fly larvae hatched at Entosystem's facilities. The facility will receive 250 tons of feed daily, which will be consumed by the insects in just six days. Once well-fed, these larvae are dried and ground into protein used as feed for domestic and farm animals.

This new development creates about 70 jobs in Drummondville with potential to grow to a team of 100.

"Insects can quickly repurpose large quantities of organic matter. By industrializing the process, Entosystem can transform food waste into essential inputs for agriculture: natural fertilizers and alternative proteins for animal feed. Turning towards a circular economy is a promising model to help us reach our climate goals," said Marie-Claude-Bibeau, minister of agriculture and agri-food Canada.