Read our product review article for Ento.

What comes to mind when you hear about edible insects? Interesting? Interesting indeed. In many parts of the world, edible insects as human consumption are considered to be very normal. Here in Malaysia, it’s getting more and more common for people to eat insects as their source of protein. 

We have had the opportunity to interview the founder and CEO of Ento, an alternative protein company that specializes in edible insects for human consumption. Kevin was born and grew up in Petaling Jaya, then moved to the UK during his secondary school years. 

Kevin who has been away for 12 years has an education background in law, but left law to pursue his passion for entrepreneurship. 

“I’ve always been interested in entrepreneurship and running my own thing, something that I could call my own.”

Kevin

Trying Insects For The First Time

When asked how did Ento come about, Kevin said that he spent two months just travelling around the world and came across something that caught his attention in Mexico City, fried grasshoppers on Tacos! 

As a foodie himself, he tried it and thought it tasted amazing. Now you may wonder what does fried grasshoppers taste like. “It tasted like fried shrimps, like ikan bilis and prawns,” Kevin said. 

This got him more fascinated in insect-based protein after doing more research about it and eventually what led him to start this health snack and protein company, Ento which was founded in 2018.

Ento’s achievement participating in the 500 Startups Accelerator Program in Silicon Valley, San Francisco.

Passion For Health And Sustainability

Kevin also shared with us his interest in sports. Growing up, he played a lot of sports like football and ran half marathons. Health has always been in the centre of what he does. 

He also mentioned that growing up in the UK, they are very big in sustainability which was how he got his passion for sustainability from. 

“I grew up in an environment where environmental education is extremely important, and sustainability too.”

Kevin

Insects Are Highly Nutritious

According to Kevin, insect-based protein is actually much higher in protein compared to traditional meat such as chicken, beef and lamb. Insect-based protein has about 2-3 times more protein than traditional food sources. 

Plus, they also have a lot of other micronutrients such as having 7 times more iron than kale, and 4 times more fibre than oatmeal.

He also mentioned that farming insects is actually a lot more efficient than farming chicken or cows. This is because how we’ve been farming traditional food sources in the past turns out to be quite unsustainable for our environment.

Cutting down the forest, the increasing production of greenhouse gases, usage of water and feed to fill our increasing desire for meat-based products. Eating insects as human consumption uses less water, land and food compared to livestock which is great for our environment.

“But we are seeing trends now that consumers are changing their habits and we just want to offer a more sustainable form of protein, also a more functional in terms of protein content and other nutrients. 

We also asked Kevin what insects are edible and he said, “Farm insects are what we’re talking about, it’s important for us to ensure the quality and what we feed the insects like soy and grains in a cold environment, those are the kind of insects that are edible.”

Did you know that insects have many other health benefits too? According to Kevin, many studies have shown that eating insects contribute to good gut bacteria health and also aids in weight loss as it keeps you full for a longer period of time, and helps you build muscles as their protein is more concentrated.

Furthermore, insect-based protein is also suitable for those who are lactose intolerant. So, for those of you who can’t take milk-based protein, this is something you should try! They have different kind of products available now such as Granola Protein Bites, Buttermilk Rusks, Whole Roasted Larvae and Whole Roasted Crickets.

Biggest Challenge 

Are you ready to try some insects? While the thought of eating whole insects like some crunchy snack may put off your appetite, Ento has been working on creating new products to help consumers find it easier to consume them.

Ento believes that they can powderize crickets into powder form which they can then blend with other ingredients to make it easier for people to consume. 

“It is still the biggest challenge to get consumers to adopt or to even try but I believe if we create more familiar and better products, the acceptability of insect-based products will only grow bigger.”

Kevin

Give It A Try

We have personally tried them ourselves and honestly, it can be addictive, we kid you not, as they have different flavours which we absolutely love! 

We’ve also got a special promotion just for you! Enjoy 10% OFF your entire order, all you have to do is enter ‘THH10’ upon checkout! You can only use this code once, but there is no minimum purchase or expiry date.

“Just try, if you never try, you’ll never know. It could be the protein source that you’re looking for where you could get a great source of protein and nutrition, at the same time helping the environment.”

Kevin

Like what Kevin said, just try! We have a giveaway coming up soon and we would love for you to try some of Ento’s products. Giveaway will run from 12th October 2020 to 19th October 2020. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more info. Good luck! 

You can find out more about Ento and their products through their online channels.

Website: https://www.ento.my/
Instagram: @ento.my
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ento.my18/
Email: hello@ento.my