While eating insects may not be as common in Brazil as it is in parts of Asia, where cricket and cockroach skewers are popular street foods, Brazilians are not entirely unfamiliar with insect-based diets. In pet food, however, manufacturers still face a period of consumer education before broader acceptance can take hold.
In Brazil, the consumption of queen leafcutter ants (Atta spp.), known locally as tanajuras, içás or saúvas, dates back centuries. Rooted in Indigenous food traditions, eating these ants has persisted in some regions since the 16th century and is especially common at the start of the rainy season, which coincides with the insects' reproductive cycle.
In the southeastern state of Espírito Santo, for example, the Tupinikim and Guarani peoples traditionally prepare tanajura flour dishes in October, when the winged queens emerge in large numbers. The insects appear in a variety of foods, including flour blends, cakes, snacks and even salads.
Yet the cultural familiarity with edible insects has not automatically translated into acceptance of insect-based pet food products.
“The psychological barrier surrounding insects is our biggest challenge. Most people initially react with surprise,” said Bruno Multedo, co-founder and CEO of Lets Fly, producer of the “Dragon Food” pet treats made with black soldier fly (BSF) meal.
“Because insect protein is still relatively new in Brazil, consumers often have initial doubts. However, once pet owners understand the nutritional benefits, ingredient safety and results for their pets, that hesitation largely disappears,” added Mateus Homse, product coordinator at Special Dog Company. The company recently expanded its Bionatural Sensitive dog food line, which combines whitefish protein with BSF meal.
Despite the lack of immediate consumer acceptance, industry participants interviewed by Petfood Forum Brasil see significant long-term potential for insect protein in the country.
“It is an alternative protein source with strong potential from both nutritional and environmental perspectives,” Homse said.
The path forward, however, includes challenges related to consumer awareness and production scale.
What does Brazil's insect protein market look like?
Brazil's insect-based pet food market accounts for 2.31% of the global market, according to an analysis by Deep Market Insights.
The segment was valued at US$3.7 million in 2025 and is projected to reach US$9.03 million by 2034, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.36%.
According to the report, black soldier fly ingredients represented the largest share of the market by insect type in 2025 and are expected to remain the primary growth driver.
For Ybynsect, one of Brazil's pioneers in industrial mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) protein production, consumer acceptance is becoming less of an obstacle as insect-based pet nutrition gradually moves beyond the novelty stage.
“More companies and major industry players are seeking insect protein as a key ingredient, but it is still far from becoming established enough to compete directly with conventional protein sources in pet food,” said Mauro Ávila, chief marketing officer of Ybynsect.
Insect protein offers advantages but faces scaling challenges
One reason insect protein remains less competitive than beef or poultry protein is the difficulty of achieving large-scale production.
According to Ávila, the challenge is not a lack of interest, raw materials or skilled labor. Instead, it stems largely from insufficient investment in innovation.
“When it comes to mealworms, Brazil has significant advantages for large-scale production. The climate is favorable, wheat flour — our primary production input — is widely available, energy costs are competitive and much of our electricity comes from sustainable sources,” Ávila said.
“Even so, we currently have more than 30 metric tons of unmet demand for mealworm meal because our operation cannot keep up.”
To scale production, Ávila said the biggest hurdle is acquiring equipment capable of automating key processes.
“Domestic technology cannot yet compete with major Asian producers, which have a much longer history in this market and therefore more advanced solutions,” he said.
With limited local options, manufacturers must either import equipment or outsource portions of production, both of which are expensive alternatives.
“Those solutions remain out of reach because of cost,” Ávila said.
Ybynsect currently operates exclusively in Rio Grande do Sul, one of Brazil's main hubs for insect protein innovation. The company controls the entire production chain, from insect rearing through processing, and remains the only company certified by Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to process Tenebrio molitor.
Is investment lagging behind demand?
Ávila believes the industry's limited access to innovation is directly tied to conservative investment practices.
“Because it is still a relatively new ingredient category, the industry depends on disruptive research and innovative solutions. The more disruptive the technology, the greater the perceived risk, which makes access to funding more difficult,” he said.
Regulatory challenges also contribute to investor caution. As a new category, insect protein remains subject to lengthy, bureaucratic and often costly regulatory processes.
Despite these obstacles, Ávila remains optimistic.
“The demand exists, the market is growing and Brazil has the potential to become one of the world's leading producers if we can create coordinated initiatives that support innovation,” he said.
Insects as a sustainable protein source
The growth potential for insect protein is also tied to increasing global pressure for more sustainable food systems in both human and pet nutrition.
According to Multedo, population growth and finite natural resources will drive demand for alternative protein sources over the coming decades.
“When compared with cattle production, we use about 15,000 fewer liters of water per kilogram of protein produced. We also require 3,140 times less land to produce the same amount of protein,” he said.
Beyond pet nutrition, Multedo expects insect protein to gain traction in human food applications as well.
According to him, insect meal can be incorporated into a wide range of products without significantly changing their appearance or consumption experience while adding nutritional value.
“This protein source can enrich products such as pasta, ice cream or butter. It can be used in many applications without consumers ever seeing the insect itself, while still delivering its nutritional benefits,” he said.
The combination of high nutritional density and lower environmental impact is expected to support long-term growth for the sector.
More information, more opportunity
The industry sources interviewed agreed that the future of insect protein in Brazil's pet food market depends on three factors: investment, regulation and consumer education. Of these, education may be the most important in the near term while the other two evolve more gradually.
While insect protein remains unfamiliar to many Brazilian consumers, perceptions are changing rapidly.
“Five years ago, insects were synonymous with pests,” Ávila said.
According to Multedo, initial resistance is often linked to a lack of understanding about the nutritional and environmental benefits of insect-based ingredients.
“As consumers learn more about how these ingredients are produced and what they offer, acceptance tends to increase,” he said. “There is a mental barrier. People lack knowledge about insects, their benefits and what they actually represent. That immediately becomes associated with disgust and disease, which is far removed from reality.”
He said the experience of Dragon Food demonstrates that more consumers are willing to try and incorporate insect-based products into their pets' diets.
“Our best-selling product is still the original dehydrated larvae. It also creates the strongest visual reaction. People either love it or hate it, and increasingly they love it,” Multedo said.
Homse shares a similar perspective, viewing education as one of the main drivers of future market growth.
“The more pet owners understand the benefits of alternative proteins, both for their pets and for the environment, the greater acceptance is likely to become,” he said.
He also noted that younger consumers tend to be more receptive because they are already familiar with sustainability and food innovation discussions.
Looking ahead, industry participants expect gradual growth driven by continued research, broader product availability and increasing demand for sustainable animal nutrition solutions.
“Today, it is still a different ingredient for many Brazilian consumers, but we are seeing a clear evolution in both interest and openness to this type of innovation,” Homse said.
