Just when you thought you’ve seen it all when it comes to milk alternatives, the most bizarre one yet enters the South African food market: fly larvae ice cream. Gourmet Grubb is the first SA company to produce dairy-free ice cream made from insect milk.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gourmet Grubb (@gourmetgrubb) on Dec 3, 2018 at 6:37am PST

Yes, insects. Bugs. Goggos. Flies! The co-founders of the Cape-Town-based company, Jean Louwrens and Leah Bessa, aim to change the way people perceive eating insects with their gelato-style ice cream. The icy desserts (which look delicious, just like any normal creamy cones) are created using EntoMilk, a milk alternative made from the larvae of black soldier flies – and they’re causing a bit of buzz (nudge nudge). The bug ice cream comes in three different flavours: dark chocolate, peanut butter, and chai latte.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gourmet Grubb (@gourmetgrubb) on Nov 7, 2018 at 6:42am PST

If you’re not the squeamish type and if you’re willing to try a scoop this summer, the good news is that EntoMilk is apparently highly nutritious. The dairy-free ‘milk’ is lactose-, gluten- and sugar-free, and is high in protein, healthy fats and minerals such as zinc, iron and calcium. This new milk paves the way for all sorts of related edibles – milk tart, custard, rice pudding, tres leches cake, lasagne and more!

EntoMilk also holds a lot of environmental benefits, including the fact that insects use only a fraction of the land space, energy, and water of regular dairy (and most dairy alternatives). They also do not emit greenhouse gases and can be grown in urban areas.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gourmet Grubb (@gourmetgrubb) on Dec 10, 2018 at 5:50am PST

The fly-infused frozen treats are available to Capetonians only for the time being and can be purchased online, at the Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, and at The Food Cube at Table Bay Mall. The Gourmet Grubb team will also be opening up a storefront in Woodstock at the end of March with some new flavours.

Do you dare to brave bug ice-cream? Let us know what you think!