Larvae could help consume unsold Delhaize food

Chain grocery corporation Delhaize is hoping to use larvae to consume surplus food.

The idea is to have the larvae feed on unsold fruit and vegetables, then be used themselves to supplement animal feed, Delhaize said, adding that the aim is to combat food waste and reduce CO2 emissions.

“The larvae, transformed into animal feed, are a perfect alternative to the soya commonly used, which often leaves a significant ecological footprint,” Delhaize said.

A pilot project was already carried out at Bakker Belgium, a subsidiary of fruit and vegetable producer Greenyard which supplies Delhaize with fruit and vegetables.

The results were presented this week by Delhaize and its technical partner Wastech and were considered a success.

Now the goal is to develop the project on a wider scale, transforming 20 tonnes of surplus food per month into three tonnes of larvae.

Delhaize said that in future, all of their stores’ surplus food that is unsuitable for consumption could be used this way to manufacture animal feed supplements.

Those stores will soon be under private, independent franchise owners – a change in the business model that is being protested by workers who have been engaged in a long-running social conflict with the corporation’s management this year.