About us

It is widely accepted that by 2050 the world will host 9 billion people. Land is scarce and expanding the area devoted to (conventional) farming is rarely a viable or sustainable option. Oceans are overfished and climate change and related water shortages could have profound implications for food production. To meet the food and nutrition challenges of today – there are nearly 1 billion chronically hungry people worldwide – and tomorrow, what we eat and how we produce it needs to be re-evaluated. Inefficiencies need to be rectified and food waste reduced. We need to find new ways of growing food. -  Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security - FAO. Rearing insects for human consumption in Australia needs to embrace the learnings from overseas in creating a viable industry that gives clear providence of product, worlds best practices farming practices and a product customers can trust.

Insects as food

Australian’s are getting into insects and the IPAA is experiencing an increase in members who are farming insects for food or who are producing Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) from insect products. In Australia insects for food are listed as a ‘non-traditional food’ as opposed to a ‘novel food’ which allows the farming and sale of insects. There are of course many traditionally eaten insects in Australia that our indigenous peoples still partake in, whether that be Bogong moths in ACT and NSW, Honeypot Ants or the famous Witchety Grubs of the arid zones.

Insects as feed

Insects are high in protein, fats and amino acids making them ideal feed ingredients for pork, poultry, aquaculture and pet foods. Insects are permissible as a feed ingredient in Australia, however how they are farmed, what waste streams can be used and how they must be processed and labelled varies in each state.

Insect by-products

Insects create a number of useful by-products. The most common are frass - insect manure, and oil - taken during the rendering process to make insect meal. Additionally by-products like chitin and lipids are being explored with research across the world.

Click here to review the current IPAA Strategy

Board Members

Read here for the Roles and Responsibilities of our board members

LUKE WhEAT, chair

Luke is the founder and CEO of Arvela, Australia’s leading commercial supplier of BSF seedstock solutions. A pioneer of the Australian insect industry, Luke has extensive experience across all aspects of BSF production and processing.

As CEO of Arvela, Luke is responsible for delivery of Arvela’s vision to Give Waste a Purpose, by simplifying the operations of businesses building their own insect-based waste and protein solutions. Luke joined the Board of the IPAA in 2022 and is passionate about delivering on the potential of BSF to Australia’s economic and sustainability outcomes.

MAUREEN CLARK, SECRETARiat

Maureen brings another external business lens to the Association having experience across large-scale retail food operations.  Without having a financial interest in any insect protein business or official education in the field, her interest and involvement comes from a backyard-enthusiast place.

Originally from a small farm in Canada and having travelled extensively, Maureen developed a personal love of insects whether to feed the chickens or to eat in a taco! A big believer in collaboration for the greater good, Maureen is committed to continue building the communication channels across the Association and the sector.

MARTIN PIKE, Treasurer

R&D, innovation and business optimisation specialist with experience in developing and growing businesses.

Passionate about sustainability, technology and mathematics. 

Managing Director of Viridian Renewable Technologies (VIC).

DAMIEL BOERMA, board member

An innovative B2B product and marketing executive with full marketing mix experience with strengths in brand management, digital and acquisition marketing. Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to build strong relationships across all client groups and key stakeholders.

Zachery Schubert, Social media

Zachery has been farming crickets since 2017 under Schubugs, in Loxton South Australia. His interest grew in the field through his studies of Nutrition at the University of South Australia. He has also spent time travelling through Asia for his sport, beach volleyball, which allowed him to discover insects being used for human consumption. Zachery wishes to use his experiences and nutritional studies to further enhance the industry.

Zachery provides up to date information about the industry through IPAA social media both nationally and internationally.

PHOEBE GARDNER, BoARD SECRETARY

Phoebe Gardner founded Bardee in 2019, a circular economy startup on a mission to reshape the global food system. To do this, Bardee transforms food waste into sustainable protein and fertiliser with insects.
Bardee operates a large facility in Melbourne supplying organic certified fertiliser to Bunnings nationwide, as well as protein for animal feed and pet food. In a landmark decision, Bardee's technology was certified to produce carbon credits (ACCUs) by the Australian Government Clean Energy Regulator.
Phoebe was awarded the 7News 2023 Young Achievers Award and was featured in The Australian's Top 100 Innovators List in 2021 and 2022. Before Bardee, Phoebe started her career in architecture, working on $1B  rail projects at Arup.

JUSTIN FRANK, BOARD MEMBER

As former Chief Strategy, Sustainability and Communications Officer at SUEZ Australia, Justin Frank is a purpose driven circular economy leader with applied circular economy experience in the UK, Europe and Australia. 

Justin is MBA qualified with a proven record in driving transformational change leading to sustainable growth, by successfully engaging and enabling teams to implement shared value strategies in global / ASX industrial and environmental services businesses.

With over two decades experience working in circular economy networks, Justin has successfully implemented multiple sustainable development roadmaps in multinational businesses, which directly correlate to the UN SDGs. He is experienced in partnering with like minded organisations, from NFPs to Innovation think tanks, to enhance business strategy communication / execution and help embed circular economy strategies through tangible metaphors and storytelling. 

Justin is part of the Goterra executive team as Head of Strategy and Communications to help drive Goterra's innovative circular economy solutions and make a sustainable difference to the next generation's future.