France’s Insect Farms: Inside the World’s Largest Bug Factories
Inside France’s massive insect farms redefining sustainable food, animal feed, and circular agriculture for a greener future.
In recent years, France has emerged as an unlikely epicenter for industrial-scale insect farming, hosting some of the world’s most advanced and largest vertical bug farms. These high-tech facilities are pioneering a new approach to sustainable protein and circular agriculture, converting billions of insects into high-quality animal feed, biofertilizer, and even ingredients for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
The Rise of Industrial Insect Farming
The climate crisis and growing demand for sustainable protein have fast-tracked innovation in food production. Traditional livestock and fish farming generates significant greenhouse gas emissions, consumes vast land and water resources, and drives deforestation and overfishing. Insect farming promises a radically smaller ecological footprint, using waste streams as feed and producing protein with minimal land and water use compared to conventional animal agriculture.
- France is home to the world’s largest vertical insect farms, with facilities operated by companies like Ÿnsect and Innovafeed.
- These facilities primarily breed mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) and black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) for sustainable animal feed, fertilizer, and other applications.
- Innovative insect farms convert food waste or agricultural byproducts into usable proteins and oils for food and feed.
Milestones in French Insect Farming
The title of “world’s largest insect farm” is a moving target. Notably, Ÿnsect’s flagship vertical insect farm in Dole was for years the largest of its kind, housing trillions of mealworms in a 17-meter-tall automated facility. Innovafeed’s Nesle site houses 10 billion black soldier fly larvae, processing food waste into animal feed and oil. Even larger facilities are underway, such as the planned oFarm, set to dwarf previous sites.
- Ÿnsect (Dole): Produces over 1,000 tonnes of insect product annually, using 98% less land and 50% fewer resources than traditional livestock.
- Innovafeed (Nesle): Houses 10 billion larvae and recycles food industry waste into sustainable protein, oil, and fertilizer.
- oFarm (Planned): Prevails as the largest, aiming for 90,000 square meters and 100,000 tonnes annual insect-based product output. Will generate direct and indirect employment, run on solar energy, and serve diverse bio-industries.
The Technology Behind Vertical Insect Farming
Unlike traditional rearing, French insect megafarms use vertical farming — cultivating insects in automated, climate-controlled towers that maximize yield and resource efficiency. Mealworms and black soldier flies are preferred species for their resilience and protein density.
- Stacked trays are maintained at precise humidity and temperature settings. For example, at Ÿnsect’s Dole site, the mealworm trays are kept at 60% humidity and 25–27°C for optimal development.
- Sensors continually collect data on nutrition, growth, moisture, and environmental conditions.
- Workers inspect trays remotely or from a distance, minimizing contamination risk.
- Automated systems move feed, harvest insects, and process end products, enabling industrial-scale automation.
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How Vertical Insect Farms Operate
| Aspect | Traditional Livestock | French Vertical Insect Farms |
|---|---|---|
| Land Use | Highly intensive, requiring grazing/feed crops | 98% less land required |
| Feed Source | Grain, soy, fishmeal | Upcycled food/agricultural waste |
| Water Use | Very high | Minimal |
| CO₂ Emissions | High | Significantly lower |
| Growth Time | Months to years | Weeks |
| End Products | Meat, manure | Protein, oil, fertilizer, chitosan |
The Potential of Insect Protein for Feed and Food
Mealworms and black soldier flies are rich in digestible protein and healthy fats — ideal for use in animal feeds for aquaculture, poultry, pigs, and even pets. Insect protein offers a sustainable replacement for over-harvested fishmeal and ecologically damaging soy protein.
- Estimated industry value by 2030: nearly $8 billion, driven by animal feed, pet food, and emerging human food markets.
- Some research and EU-funded projects (e.g., SUSINCHAIN) are targeting the replacement of up to 20% of animal protein in European feed and food with insect protein by 2025.
- Byproducts such as biofertilizer (frass) and chitosan (for pharmaceuticals and bioplastics) create additional value streams.
Advantages Over Conventional Protein Sources
- Lower greenhouse gas emissions and water footprint compared to livestock and soybean cultivation.
- Less pressure on agricultural land and biodiversity loss.
- Utilization of circular, waste-based feed sources, reducing global food waste.
- Rapid growth cycles: some insect species mature 100 times faster than cattle or poultry.
Pioneers and Key Players: Ÿnsect, Innovafeed, Protix, and Tebrio
France’s leadership in insect farming is epitomized by three actors: Ÿnsect, Innovafeed, and the new oFarm facility by Tebrio. The Netherlands-based Protix is another leader in Europe.
- Ÿnsect: The original poster child for vertical mealworm breeding, now scaling up human-grade protein production and agricultural applications.
- Innovafeed: Specializing in the black soldier fly, focusing on large-scale waste recycling, fish and livestock feed, and integrated biorefinery models.
- Tebrio/oFarm: A Spanish-French project to build the world’s largest insect farm by 2028. The €110 million facility targets 100% organic production, solar-powered operations, and diversified outputs for food, feed, pharma, cosmetics, and bioplastics.
- Protix: Dutch leader using black soldier flies for animal feed — also relying on food waste upcycling.
Environmental and Economic Impact
Industrial insect farming is positioned as a solution to multiple intersecting global crises: climate change, resource scarcity, food waste, and the need for sustainable protein. French insect farms demonstrate how circular, high-tech agriculture can fuel regional jobs and innovation.
- Each new farm adds hundreds of direct and indirect jobs to regional economies.
- Integration with renewable energy — for example, Tebrio’s oFarm targets total solar power for its operations.
- Production models recycling industrial and household food waste, substantially reducing landfill use and associated emissions.
- Supporting local and global aquaculture and agriculture with high-quality, sustainable feed alternatives.
Challenges and Criticisms
- High startup and scaling costs for automated, hygienic vertical farms.
- Market and regulatory hurdles, especially for wider adoption in pet and human food in Europe and North America.
- Cultural resistance to entomophagy (insect consumption) in the EU and US, though slowly changing.
- Ongoing financial and operational pressures: Ÿnsect, for instance, faces funding and efficiency challenges as the sector matures.
- Animal welfare debates: Concerns exist around the ethics of intensive insect rearing, though most evidence suggests insects experience less suffering than vertebrates.
Insect Farms and the Future of Circular Food Systems
France’s mega-insect farms offer a real-world glimpse of the future of food and feed. By closing loops with waste-recycling, slashing environmental impact, and pioneering protein alternatives, they point toward a more resilient and sustainable agriculture sector. The models developed here are being watched closely and replicated globally — and may soon extend to human diets as well.
Key Takeaways
- France leads the world in industrial-scale, vertical insect farming, with several of the largest and most advanced facilities.
- Insects like mealworms and black soldier fly larvae efficiently transform food waste into valuable protein and oil for animal feed, as well as organic fertilizer and other key products.
- Industry growth is rapid, with the potential to reduce land, water, and energy use, cut emissions, and improve food system sustainability.
- Mainstream adoption still faces financial, regulatory, and cultural challenges, but momentum is building for insects in animal feed — and eventually, human nutrition.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Are insects from French mega-farms used for human food?
A: Currently, the vast majority are processed into animal feed and fertilizer. However, studies and pilot projects are exploring the direct use of mealworm protein in human food products, and some companies plan to expand into this sector as regulations evolve.
Q: How do insect farms compare to traditional livestock in resource use?
A: Insect farms consume 98% less land and over 80% less water than livestock or soy cultivation, while producing high-quality protein significantly faster and with fewer emissions.
Q: What challenges do French insect farms face?
A: Key challenges include high operational costs, market and regulatory restrictions for food/feed use, the need for public acceptance, and raising sufficient investment for continued expansion.
Q: What species are mainly farmed in French insect factories?
A: The primary species are mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) and black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens), chosen for their efficient protein conversion and suitability for large-scale farming.
Q: How does insect farming help the environment?
A: Insects upcycle food waste, require minimal land and water, cut emissions, reduce dependence on wild fish or soy for feed, and generate organic fertilizers that can strengthen agricultural soils.
Conclusion
French mega-insect farms stand at the forefront of a transformative movement in sustainable agriculture and protein production. By blending biotechnology, vertical farming, and circular economy principles, these landmark projects could permanently reshape how nations feed livestock — and eventually humans — while healing the environment and supporting the economy. Their success and expansion will play a crucial role in the planet’s effort to feed a growing population sustainably.
References
- https://www.agtechnavigator.com/Article/2025/01/23/construction-begins-on-worlds-largest-insect-farm/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00290-z
- https://innovationorigins.com/en/france-and-the-netherlands-pioneering-in-sustainable-insect-breeding/
- https://illuminem.com/illuminemvoices/at-the-worlds-biggest-bug-farm-10-billion-maggots-recycle-food-waste
- https://innovafeed.com/en/innovafeed-in-medias/
- https://www.nordfranceinvest.com/news/ynsect-bat-des-records-mondiaux/
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