Grace Ashiru
There are bugs on the way to your plate! And not just as a funky addition to your salad; they’re the future protein source, and Maltento, a South African GreenTech company, is leading the way.
Maltento is turning organic waste into protein-rich biomass using the larvae of Black Soldier Flies (BSF). This biomass can be used to feed fish, animals, and pets. What’s the best? It makes a circular system that reduces waste and makes the most of resources.
Maltento breeds and prepares BSF larvae in a modern factory near Cape Town. The larvae are sold in wet, dry, or hydrolyzed forms as a source of protein or to make animal feed taste better.
But the Startup won’t stop there. With the help of DEG’s Up-Scaling program, the company got a co-financing of 788,000 USD, which allowed them to double their production capacity and add more growth chambers for the larvae. They want to be able to make more than 100 tons of larvae every month soon.
Maltento is one of eleven firms that got co-financing in 2022 through DEG’s Up-Scaling Programme. The program is for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in their early stages that work in GreenTech or FinTech. It focuses on funding in developing and emerging-market countries.
Not only is Maltento paving the way for sustainable protein production and a shining example of innovative business and investment in Africa.
