Maltento CEO Dean Smorenburg and commercial director Dominic Malan were joined by Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis on a tour of the fly-farm’s facilities in Epping, Cape Town on March 18.

This follows a recent announcement from sustainable functional ingredient business Maltento regarding its mission to transform South Africa’s recycling landscape by breeding Black Soldier flies to convert agroprocessing waste, including spent grains from the beer industry, into high-performance, nutrient-dense proteins, and oils for pet and aquaculture feed.

The Maltento fly factory breeds Black Soldier flies for their natural ability to produce functional proteins, healthy fats, and essential amino acids, offering the local and international pet feed and aquaculture markets the high-quality protein, made with traceable ingredients, the company highlights in a statement.

It avers that this advancement for the pet feed industry in South Africa uses considerably less water than the meat derivative market, citing that several scientific studies have said that insect protein is better for pet health and the planet. 

Beyond protein, soldier fly larvae also produce frass as a by-product (in the form of larvae excrement), which also has nutritional value.

“It was simply fascinating to see this manufacturing process, and how encouraging to see another great Cape Town business growing and thriving both here and globally. This means more great jobs here in Cape Town. 

“This kind of innovation also puts Cape Town at the forefront of sustainability practices in South Africa. I learnt that Maltento is diverting over 400 000 kg of agroprocessing waste from our landfills every month by feeding this to the fly larvae. Better yet, the team here tells me that they aim to grow this number up to 600 000 kg by the end of this year,” Hill-Lewis comments.

With a team of 65 employees at the 7 000 m² factory in Cape Town, Maltento says it has successfully produced 75 metric tonnes of product since its operations began. Production is expected to reach 100 metric tonnes by June.

To make this a reality, Maltento is calling on all large-scale breweries across the country to align with its vision for improved agricultural practices within the beer sector by joining it in making the industry more sustainable.

“We have learned today that frass serves as a significantly useful soil amendment product, capable of enhancing soil fertility, plant immunology and nutrient cycling. Overall, it improves soil structure.

“We are thrilled by the fact that Maltento is already donating a portion of this regenerative product to low-income communities in Cape Town every month. Local farmers in these areas are using Maltento’s frass to restore fields in townships, which are now responsible for producing fresh food, feeding up to 500 children in Lavender Hill,” acclaims Winde. 

Frass can also be used to develop a closed-loop system and circular economy for South Africa’s beer brewing industry, Maltento says.

“By using frass in the fields where brewery grains are cultivated, we can create a sustainable cycle that regenerates the soil and contributes to healthy grain growth. This closed-loop system is free of heavy metals or pesticides as well.

“We are hoping to secure the local beer industry’s commitment to this revolutionary change to our country’s recycling landscape, in a combined effort to position South African scientists as global leaders in agro-processing and sustainability practices within the beer sector,” Smorenburg informs.