MYGroup has entered into a joint venture with insect genetics company Beta Bugs to supply eggs for its black soldier fly (BSF) bioconversion Insectology process for food waste management.
Under the joint venture, Beta Bugs will become MYGroup’s exclusive supplier of BSF eggs, with a new breeding and hatching facility to be established at the waste management company’s The Maltings site at South Milford, near Leeds, United Kingdom.
The new in-house breeding and hatching facility will complete MYGroup’s Insectology process end-to-end, ensuring a reliable and consistent supply of eggs and neonates.
MYGroup will draw on Beta Bugs’ specialist expertise in establishing and up-scaling BSF hatchery operations and their superior genetics to optimize the Insectology process. Beta Bugs will leverage an oversized breeding site to enhance its supply of high-quality breeding stock to the U.K. market.
Beta Bugs Ltd. is a U.K.-based biotechnology company and global leader in BSF genetics, developing and supplying high-performance breeds to the growing BSF farming sector. Operating from the Roslin Innovation Centre in Edinburgh, the company supplies BSF eggs, including HiPer-Fly and Just-Fly to insect farmers. Founded by Thomas Farrugia, Beta Bugs has raised GBP6.5 million (US$8.8 million) to build an industry-first selective breeding program and nucleus population for BSF. Its work supports waste reduction, circular economy solutions and improved profitability for insect farmers. Beta Bugs is shaping the future of insect farming by establishing genetics as a core component of a specialized, scalable value chain.
The partnership comes as demand grows for more sustainable, circular approaches to food waste management and protein production. MYGroup’s Insectology process uses BSF bioconversion, which involves feeding food waste to BSF larvae supplied by Beta Bugs to reduce and metabolize the matter. Insect bioconversion has been shown to reduce waste volumes by 75% in less than 10 days, while generating high-value byproducts from protein meal to organic fertiliser.
After the launch of MYGroup’s first dedicated BSF farm this year, securing the reliable supply of eggs and hatchery expertise under the Beta Bugs joint venture is the next step in creating a truly circular solution to meet these dual challenges.
