Hopper Foods Launches Kickstarter Campaign for Revolutionary Energy Bar Made with Cricket Flour, Hopper Bars part of Austin’s Growing Edible Insect Industry
Austin, Texas (PRWEB) July 22, 2014 -- Hopper Foods LLC, which specializes in energy snacks made from nutritious insects, is launching a new Kickstarter campaign on July 23, 2014, for its latest range of health bars. Cricket flour is a sustainable source of complete, high quality protein with very low water and feed requirements. It is the future of food.
"Who minds cricket flour when it's this chewy and satisfying?" says Zagat Austin
"Incredibly tasty... I would like to eat 10 more right now," says the Austin Chronicle
“The typical response we get is, ‘What… you mean this has bugs in it?’ ‘Yes!’” says Jack Ceadel, co-founder of Hopper Foods, along with Marta Hudecova and John Tucker. “Bottom line: the bars taste great, are healthy, and are environmentally sustainable,”.
The Hopper Bar is made with a base of highly nutritious cricket flour, that has been harvested from specially farmed crickets in Austin, Texas. Fruit, nuts and seeds are mixed in to create the dominant flavors and textures.
"I ate a cherry, cranberry & cashew Hopper Bar with my morning coffee today. [It] had a perfect blend of soft, crunchy, toothsome textures ... I'll eat these. Oh yes, I'll eat these often," says ATX Food News
“We are thrilled by peoples’ reaction to the bars,” Head Chef John Tucker explains. “We have worked hard to keep the sugar content down. They taste great but they are genuinely healthy.”
“The combination of the protein and nutrient rich cricket flour with other ingredients creates a bar with an impressive nutritional profile,” says Marta Hudecova. “Palate and nutrition aside, the reintroduction of insects back into our diet is one of the most environmentally positive steps we can take.”
Last year, the FAO released a report stating that we need to reintroduce insects into our diets in order to sustainably feed our growing population. Crickets are an amazing source of high quality protein— they need 5 times less feed than cattle and only 1000th of the water to produce an equivalent amount of protein. Compared to cattle crickets also produce less ammonia and only 1% of the methane (a greenhouse gas 20 times worse than carbon dioxide.
“Cricket farming compliments rather than competes with traditional western farming as insects can be fed on agro-industrial bi-products like corn husks, carrot tops or potato peelings,” says Hudecova. “About 80% of the world’s cultures currently have insects as part of their diet. America and the West need to re-embrace this resource and Austin is leading the way.”
By basing Hooper bars on cricket flour rather than whole insects, a product has been created that appeals beyond early adopters and die-hards. Hopper foods research indicates that the use of cricket flour, in addition to education, successfully trumps traditional western prejudices about easting insects.
“In our experience between 50 and 60% of people are really into the idea, especially once they have had the health and environmental arguments explained,” says Ceadel. “10% cannot be swayed but the other 20-30% go for it once they understand that thee crickets have been turned into flour in the process of making the bar.”
“We already know that in practice and concept, it’s no different than eating shrimp or crawfish,” says Tucker, “Cricket flour is a game changer because it’s a perception changer. Cricket flour to crickets what crab cakes are to crabs.”
The Hopper Bar enters the market in the context of Austin’s emergence as a hub for insect based foods.
“Hopper Foods is extremely proud to be part of a growing community of ento-preneurs adopting game-changing innovations in Austin’s gastro-industry,” explains Ceadel. “There are some very exciting developments in the pipeline here, such as the creation of a dedicated ento-business incubator and an insect farm within city limits.”
The Kickstarter campaign will finance a packaging machine, allowing Hooper Foods to handle operations internally.
“It is important for us as a food startup to be close to the community, to operate in-house, to maintain quality and control costs. Please help us!” says Hudecova.
Availability & Events: You can find more information as well as details of upcoming events at http://www.hopperatx.com.
The Hopper Bar Kickstarter goes live July 23, with a launch party at The White Horse— http://www.thewhitehorseaustin.com.
Hopper Bars are exclusively available for retail at in.gredients http://in.gredients.com/ on Manor Rd until October when they will go on sale nationally.
About: Hopper Foods is an Austin-based startup that exemplifies the city’s flair for healthy food, edgy creativity and environmental awareness. The company’s first product, the Hopper Bar, is an all-natural energy bar made with environmentally sustainable cricket flour. The Hopper Bar is perfect for people with an active lifestyle, an environmental conscience, and a dash of dare. Hopper Foods was founded by Jack Ceadel, Marta Hudecova and John Tucker.
Social Media: Twitter @HopperFoods, Facebook Hopper-Bars,
Website: http://www.hopperatx.com
Kickstarter: Hopper Bars: Energy Bars Made With Cricket Flour in ATX
Jack Ceadel, Hopper Foods, http://www.hopperatx.com, +1 (512) 627-3231, [email protected]
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