Exporting Cricket Products: How to Sell Cricket Flour and Feeder Crickets Internationally

US cricket flour producers exporting to Canada require a CFIA-compliant label and a Certificate of Free Sale from FDA. That's the most accessible international export market - a neighboring country with similar food safety frameworks and a growing insect protein consumer market. Understanding what's required before you make an international sale prevents the expensive mistake of shipping a product that gets detained at the border.

This guide covers the most accessible export markets for US cricket farms, the documentation required for each, and the logistics of moving product internationally.

TL;DR

• As of 2026, certain insect species including house crickets (Acheta domesticus) have received novel food authorization for use in specific applications.
• The EU Novel Foods Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 requires authorization for novel foods including insects.
• Several insect species have received EU novel food authorization as of 2024-2026, including house crickets and yellow mealworms, for use in specific applications.
• US cricket flour producers exporting to Canada require a CFIA-compliant label and a Certificate of Free Sale from FDA.
• That's the most accessible international export market - a neighboring country with similar food safety frameworks and a growing insect protein consumer market.
• Understanding what's required before you make an international sale prevents the expensive mistake of shipping a product that gets detained at the border.
• Cricket flour has been designated as a novel food in Canada under the Novel Foods Regulations.

Canada: Your Most Accessible Export Market

Canada is the most straightforward export market for US cricket flour for three reasons: geographic proximity, regulatory familiarity, and an established and growing insect protein market driven by companies like Entomo Farms (Ontario-based, a major North American cricket flour producer).

Regulatory requirements for exporting cricket flour to Canada:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulates food imports. Cricket flour has been designated as a novel food in Canada under the Novel Foods Regulations. Exporting cricket flour to Canada requires:

• A CFIA-compliant label (bilingual English/French, metric quantities, Canadian bilingual allergen declarations)
• Certificate of Free Sale from FDA confirming the product is legally sold in the US
• Your FDA facility registration number on documentation
• Standard commercial invoice and bill of lading for customs

The Certificate of Free Sale is obtained from FDA. US FDA does not automatically issue these - you apply through FDA's FSVP documentation or request a letter of support. FDA's process for Certificate of Free Sale documentation can take several weeks, so plan ahead before your first Canadian shipment.

Canadian import duties on food products generally fall under CUSMA (the updated NAFTA) provisions, which typically means zero or low duty for US food products.

The United Kingdom

Brexit created a separate regulatory framework for food imports to the UK. Cricket flour is classified as a novel food in the UK under the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) novel foods list. As of 2026, certain insect species including house crickets (Acheta domesticus) have received novel food authorization for use in specific applications.

To export cricket flour to the UK:

• Confirm that your product falls within the authorized novel food category (species and application must match the authorization)
• UK importers will need to demonstrate compliance with the UK FSA novel food authorization
• Standard UK import documentation (commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin)
• No specific US government export certificate is typically required for food exports to the UK, though some importers request a Certificate of Free Sale

The UK is a meaningful market for insect protein. The consumer base is engaged with sustainability food trends, and the natural food retail sector (Holland & Barrett, Whole Foods UK, and independent natural food stores) is receptive to novel protein products.

The European Union

The EU has the most complex novel food regulatory framework for insect protein. The EU Novel Foods Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 requires authorization for novel foods including insects. Several insect species have received EU novel food authorization as of 2024-2026, including house crickets and yellow mealworms, for use in specific applications.

Exporting cricket flour to the EU requires:

• Verification that your product falls within the authorized application scope
• EU importers are responsible for verifying novel food compliance
• Standard EU import documentation
• The EU importer will typically require your product specification and HACCP documentation

The EU requires all food businesses supplying the EU market to appoint an EU-based responsible person (importer of record). Your EU importer handles this compliance on their side. Your responsibility is to supply a product that meets your specifications and the EU's general food safety requirements.

Working with an established EU insect protein importer or distributor who already understands the novel food framework is significantly easier than working through the regulations independently. Canada, UK, and EU represent the most accessible export markets for US cricket flour based on regulatory clarity and existing market demand.

For overall compliance, see cricket flour FDA compliance. For farm management, see cricket farm management.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I export cricket flour to Canada?

To export cricket flour to Canada, your label must comply with CFIA requirements: bilingual English/French text, metric quantities as the primary unit, Canadian allergen declaration format, and bilingual ingredient list. You'll also need a Certificate of Free Sale from FDA confirming your product is legally sold in the US, your FDA facility registration documentation, and standard commercial shipping documents (commercial invoice, bill of lading). Start by contacting CFIA's Import section or working with a Canadian import broker who specializes in novel food products. Your Canadian buyer is also responsible for ensuring their import is compliant - many Canadian insect protein importers have existing CFIA relationships that simplify the process.

What documents are required to export cricket products internationally?

Standard export documentation for cricket flour includes: commercial invoice (product description, quantity, value, country of origin), packing list, bill of lading or airway bill, Certificate of Origin, and a Certificate of Free Sale from FDA (required by many importing countries to confirm the product is legally sold in the US). Additional country-specific requirements include: bilingual labeling for Canada, novel food compliance documentation for EU and UK markets, and USDA phytosanitary certificates if exporting live insects (which have additional biosafety requirements and may require permits from the destination country). Work with a freight forwarder who has experience with food product exports to handle the documentation requirements for your specific destination.

Which countries are the most accessible export markets for US cricket flour?

Canada, the UK, and the EU are the most accessible and commercially relevant export markets for US cricket flour producers. Canada is most accessible due to geographic proximity, established trade frameworks (CUSMA), and a growing domestic insect protein market. The UK is accessible due to the FSA's progressive novel food authorization framework and a strong sustainability-forward consumer market. The EU is the largest market opportunity but has the most complex novel food regulatory framework - working with an established EU insect protein importer is the practical approach for first-time exporters. Australia, Japan, and South Korea are secondary markets worth monitoring but have their own regulatory pathways that require additional research.

How does CricketOps help track the metrics described in this article?

CricketOps provides bin-level logging for the variables that drive production outcomes -- feed inputs, environmental conditions, mortality events, and harvest results. Rather than maintaining these records in separate spreadsheets, you can view performance trends across bins and over time to identify which operational variables correlate with better outcomes in your specific facility.

Where can I find industry benchmarks to compare my operation's performance?

The North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture (NACIA) publishes periodic industry reports with production benchmarks. University extension programs in agricultural states, including the University of Georgia and University of Florida IFAS, occasionally publish insect farming production data. Industry conferences hosted by the Entomological Society of America and the Insects to Feed the World symposium series are additional sources of peer benchmarking data.

What is the biggest operational mistake cricket farmers make in their first year?

Expanding bin count before achieving consistent FCR and mortality targets in existing bins is the most common and costly first-year mistake. At 5-10 bins, problems are manageable. At 30-50 bins, the same proportional problems represent much larger financial losses. Most experienced cricket farmers recommend holding expansion until you have three consecutive production cycles hitting your FCR and mortality targets.

Sources

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) -- Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security
• North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture (NACIA)
• Entomological Society of America
• University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
• Journal of Insects as Food and Feed (Wageningen Academic Publishers)

Get Started with CricketOps

The practices covered in this article are easier to apply consistently when they are supported by organized production data. CricketOps gives cricket farmers the tools to track what matters -- by bin, by batch, and over time. Start your next production cycle in CricketOps and see how organized data changes the way you manage your operation.