# Aspire Food Group

its London, Ontario cricket-protein plant — billed as the world's largest cricket farm and backed by tens of millions of dollars in Canadian federal funding — was placed into receivership reportedly owing C$41.5 million.

Source: https://en.bioecon.ru/companies/aspire-food-group/
Updated: 2026-07-06

- Country: United States

## Verifiable facts

| Fact | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Funding | tens of millions of dollars in federal grants and loans, including $8.5 million from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and approximately $41.5 million in debt owed to Farm Credit Canada (FCC) at the time of receivership. | https://agfundernews.com/aspire-ramps-up-worlds-largest-automated-cricket-production-facility-scouts-for-2nd-site, https://agfundernews.com/exclusive-aspire-food-groups-ontario-cricket-farm-sold-to-halali-as-firm-collapses-under-debt, https://search.open.canada.ca/qpnotes/record/aafc-aac%2CAAFC-2025-QP-00159, https://www.canada.ca/en/agriculture-agri-food/news/2022/06/investment-in-state-of-the-art-facility-for-aspire-to-support-sustainable-food-production.html, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-aspire-food-cricket-farm-9.7136152 |
| Capacity | Designed for up to 13 million kilograms (12,000 metric tons) of cricket production annually, but operated at significantly less than full capacity (half capacity or below) before receivership. | https://agfundernews.com/aspire-ramps-up-worlds-largest-automated-cricket-production-facility-scouts-for-2nd-site, https://lfpress.com/business/local-business/indebted-london-cricket-producer-takes-step-toward-bankruptcy, https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7533755, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-aspire-food-cricket-farm-9.7136152 |
| Production site | 2450 Innovation Drive, London, Ontario; also maintained a research and development facility in Austin, Texas. | https://cfcanada.fticonsulting.com/aspire/docs/Aspire%20-%20Second%20Report%20of%20the%20Receiver%20(October%2023,%202025).pdf, https://lfpress.com/business/local-business/indebted-london-cricket-producer-takes-step-toward-bankruptcy, https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7533755, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-aspire-food-cricket-farm-9.7136152 |
| Headcount | Had approximately 150 employees before laying off over 100 workers; reported to employ about 50 workers while in receivership. | https://cfcanada.fticonsulting.com/aspire/docs/Aspire%20-%20Second%20Report%20of%20the%20Receiver%20(October%2023,%202025).pdf, https://lfpress.com/business/local-business/indebted-london-cricket-producer-takes-step-toward-bankruptcy, https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7533755 |
| Certification | No specific certifications for the London, Ontario plant were explicitly listed in the provided documents. [medium confidence] | https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-aspire-food-cricket-farm-9.7136152, https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/insect-protein-market/companies, https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/product/insect-based-protein-market/ |
| Regulatory approval | No specific regulatory approvals for the London, Ontario plant were explicitly listed in the provided documents. [medium confidence] | https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/insect-protein-market/companies, https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/product/insect-based-protein-market/ |

Independent sources: agfundernews.com, canada.ca, cbc.ca, cfcanada.fticonsulting.com, lfpress.com, marketresearchfuture.com, search.open.canada.ca, verifiedmarketreports.com

## Technologies

- [Industrial insect farming](https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/insect-farming-industrial/)