A commercial court has pronounced the judicial liquidation of French insect agriculture company Ÿnsect following a hearing held in early December, according to news reports. Founded in 2011, the company specialized in producing insect-based protein and fertilizer from mealworms.
The French commercial court acknowledged that "the company did not succeed in raising the necessary funds within the deadlines to finance its continuation plan, despite the strength of its technology portfolio and its new operational model," the company's management said in a statement.
Ÿnsect had requested judicial safeguard proceedings in September 2024 after finding itself unable to pay its debts and declaring insolvency. Placed under judicial reorganization in March 2025, the company was unable to provide financial guarantees to the judges during its observation period, despite several extensions.
The company's recent years have been marked by financial struggles. In 2023, Ÿnsect conducted layoffs as part of a strategy shift away from animal feed to the pet food sector. Despite raising more than $500 million, the company struggled to secure additional funding to reach profitability.
