In full compliance with current good manufacturing process (cGMP) requirements for cleanliness, control, and cross-contamination prevention, this ground-breaking facility – the largest of its kind in the world – addresses key risk factors in food production to enable the safe manufacturing of wholesome protein derived from crickets.

From the ground up, the entire building was designed to anticipate any and all possible routes of contamination transfer to the final food product – and then implement the pertinent design strategies to prevent them from taking place. The result – all-encompassing hygienic design – is reflected both in the structure of the building itself, such as avoiding hollow areas in walls, as well as in the way workers move throughout the facility. From a programmatic standpoint, the division of the building into different zones helps to mitigate production risks by preventing direct external access to the automated production line and instead utilize transition zones to provide an added layer of protection. This strategy protects against both biological and chemical hazards, as well as preventing contamination or allergen transfers.

A full suite of state-of-the-art automation and robotic technologies – including artificial intelligence, automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS), internet of things (IoT), and sensors – operate independently in a climate controlled, indoor vertical agricultural system filled with living organisms. Considering necessary pest control measures, equipment cleaning practices, and pathogen monitoring protocols, this world-class production process is able to play out within a footprint only a small fraction of the size typically required to produce protein at this scale.

In line with sustainability efforts to eliminate global food insecurity, the building helps to pave the way for the new future of protein.