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 Would you eat a cookie made with crickets? Tammy Mann is betting you will once you hear how nutritious they are, and how great they taste in her protein powder and cookie mixes. The founder of Minnesota-based Harmony Cricket Farm has a lot of plans, and has made tremendous headway into the emerging world of insect-protein foods since launching her business in the fall of 2020.
Tammy’s foray into food business began—as is true of many entrepreneurs—with a personal struggle. Tammy is a triathlete with an intolerance to gluten, and was on the hunt for protein-rich food sources to sustain her energy and activity level. When a friend suggested cricket “flour,” she hesitated, but gave it a try. One week in, she had already noticed digestive health benefits and improved training stamina.
In approaching her business idea, the former designer/creative director drew from her 25 years of experience helping businesses translate their passion into attractive and engaging branding and messaging. She also did her research, and learned about “entomophagy”—the practice of eating insects. You might be aware that globally, people consume insects regularly as a nutritious and readily available protein source. For commercial use, crickets are “harvested” at seven weeks by freezing. They’re then triple rinsed, blanched, baked, and milled before being packaged as flour. Some insects are considered delicacies, and the global market for edible insects, currently at $112 million, is estimated to grow by 47% annually between now and 2026.
So, if some of us just need to get over our squeamishness to enjoy these foods, baking mixes from Harmony Cricket Farm offer a place to start. The cricket flour can be used independently as a protein boost in baked goods, smoothies, grain bowls, or your favorite hot dish. Tammy describes the taste as mild and lightly nutty, and it’s a source of vitamin B12, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and is a complete protein—meaning it contains all the amino acids humans need.
Harmony Cricket Farm products are made with some local ingredients, and there’s more work to be done to develop supply chains for additional products they want to source. While the branding includes the term ‘farm,’ Tammy’s not yet raising the crickets herself, though that’s her long-term plan.
Harmony currently buys organic oats and oat flour from fellow AGC member Doubting Thomas Farms in Moorhead, MN, and hopes to source other grains like sorghum and buckwheat locally in the future. One limitation has been a lack of access to locally grown grains that are certified gluten-free. The requirements for this certification mean additional systems and operating procedures, a challenging proposition for emerging regional grain businesses. AGC is committed to supporting farmers, processors, and food business owners like Tammy in working through these challenges to build partnerships together.
Check out recipes for using cricket baking mixes on Harmony's website, and stay up to date with Tammy's work and new products using the links below!
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