Some Grub, an insect-based petcare brand, has raised £270k to help it expand its availability across the UK and “lead Britain’s insect food revolution”.
The UK has seen an explosion of insect-based petfood in recent years with the likes of Aardvark, Tuggs, and Yora all coming to the market.
Some Grub is one of the more recent additions, launching in 2024 with three types of dog treats made from high-protein bugs and vegetables.
Its latest investment round was led by SFC Capital, the UK’s leading SEIS Fund, in exchange for a minority stake in the business.
Boosting distribution
The money will be used to help Some Grub launch new products, grow online sales, and try and extend its national distribution in major retailers.
The business gained its first national listing at the end of last year when it landed a slot on The Co-op’s incubator scheme for innovative new suppliers.
The business was launched by friends Ollie Harkus and Ben Chapman after receiving funding from UKRI, the government’s innovation agency.
“Like us, our investors believe Some Grub will be a game-changing business for the petfood industry and has what it takes to become a major player in the category,” the pair said.
“This capital will be deployed to take Some Grub to the next level, supporting our retail partners and growing distribution so that the business can increase its market share and lead Britain’s insect food revolution.”
Environmental impact
Some Grub claims its products have a lower environmental impact than traditional petfood, using less land and water and generating a significantly smaller carbon footprint. Black soldier fly, for example, create 75% less CO2 per kilogram of protein compared to beef.
“We were shocked that 20% of the world’s meat and fish is fed to pets and concerned by the growing rate of allergy and stomach issues experienced by animals eating traditional petfood,” said Harkus.
“There are limits to a purely plant-based diet, so we wanted to make protein-packed products for pets that are both healthy and limit the impact on the environment.”
Last year, Tuggs, another British insect-based dogfood producer, raised £1.1m after a sharp rise in sales.
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