Nas looks like he’s preparing for his next steps beyond blessing microphones, although his latest venture might gross a few of you out. The Queensbridge legend has invested in a company that makes power bars and food by using the bodies of crickets.
While the idea of eating crickets might put some off, some reports revealed that the FDA allows small amounts of bug matter to make it into the foods we buy at stores. Around the world, people have a wider acceptance of the high-protein crunch insects provide and Brooklyn-based start-up company Exo aims to change the perception via its cricket flour, Bloomberg Business reports.
From Bloomberg Business:
The Brooklyn-based startup announced Monday that it closed a $4 million series A funding round to bring chef-created cricket-flour foods to the masses. Investors include AccelFoods, the Collaborative Fund, and the rapper Nas. The company, which sells the bars online and at Whole Foods and Wegman’s, plans to use the money to boost its retail presence. It’s also working to launch new products based on cricket flour, such as ready-to-eat shakes and protein powers, to help appeal to fitness buffs—especially those cross-fitters and paleo-diehards who help make up the company’s current core market—and consumers who avoid eating meat for ethical or health reasons.
“In the long term, we envision cricket powder being competitive with soy, and whey, and any other protein source,” Exo co-founder Greg Sewitz, 24, said via phone. “That starts with introducing cricket protein to a consumer base with no direct experience with it and a lot of preconceived ideas that were negative.”
Sewitz and fellow co-founder Gabi Lewitz have been longtime cricket eaters and used to hand out their cricket protein snack bars at parties while at Brown University. The pair partnered with top chef Kyle Connaughton to bring about the taste quality to a level where consumers will get behind the product.
As for Nas? No word if he’s tried Exo yet but wouldn’t it be awesome if he did a remix of his “Esco (Let’s Go)” track using the company’s name? Make it happen, Exo! Just give us our props for the idea.
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Photo: Instagram/ExoProtein
