Inside France's Surviving Insect Farm Amid Industry Turmoil and Public Funding Scrutiny

In a climate-controlled hall in Nesle, northern France, Innovafeed manages three million black soldier flies, collecting their eggs and converting the hatched larvae into high-value protein and oil for use in fish farms and animal feed. The operation survives a broader industry shake-up triggered by Ynsect’s bankruptcy in late 2025, a company that once secured more than €600 million on promises of a new agricultural revolution.

Since 2010, the French state has allocated €284 million to insect-farming ventures, a figure highlighted in an April report by advocacy groups. The sizable public investment has drawn criticism, with MP François Ruffin urging a review of how the funds were spent. Innovafeed’s continued production underscores both the potential of insect-derived feed and the sector’s vulnerability to financial and political pressures.