Edinburgh-based foodtech start-up The Insect Café has secured £160,000 from the Catalyst Fund to scale production of Nahla’s Insect Nutrition, a single-ingredient cricket protein powder, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce said.
The investment will enable the business to complete its transition to in-house production and launch the product commercially in early 2027, according to Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.
The Insect Café was founded by ecologist Nahla Mahmoud, who began exploring insects as a sustainable high-protein source after finding most post-swim nutrition options heavily processed, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce said. In 2023 she launched The Insect Café selling baked goods made with cricket flour at markets and events across Edinburgh to test consumer appetite, the organisation said. That work led to the development of Nahla’s Insect Nutrition, described as a clean-label protein powder made from a single ingredient.
By growing, harvesting and processing crickets in Scotland, The Insect Café aims to build local protein production capacity while reducing reliance on imported ingredients, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce said. The business works with local suppliers where possible and uses compostable packaging as part of its approach to food production, according to the organisation.
The investment follows support from The Ventures Lab, a venture growth programme founded by the Challenges Group, which helped develop the business’s plan and investment proposition. Through the Ventures Catalyst partnership between The Ventures Lab and the Catalyst Fund, managed by social investor Firstport, the business moved from specialist support to securing investment with a revenue-based finance model, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce said.
Nahla Mahmoud, founder of The Insect Café, said: “This investment allows us to bring production in-house, build local protein production capacity in Scotland and make insect protein accessible to a much wider audience.”
Emily Macdonald, Head of Investment Programmes at Firstport, said: “The Insect Café has developed an innovative product that combines strong commercial potential with a clear environmental mission.”
The first batch of Nahla’s Insect Nutrition protein powder will launch in early 2027, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce said.