Keil

What Keil does

KEIL Co., Ltd., founded in April 2016 in Seoul, South Korea, is a vertically integrated green biomaterials company that develops food, feed, cosmetic, and fertilizer ingredients derived from edible mealworms (Tenebrio). Its core technology platform spans automated breeding, hydrolysis-based protein extraction, cold-pressed mealworm oil, antifreeze protein separation and purification, and standardized infrared/microwave drying. The company operates Asia's first fully automated smart farm for mass mealworm production, with a current capacity of 2,000 tons per year at its Cheongju facility and a stated target of 15,000 tons annually by 2025 through additional domestic and overseas plants. The company's product portfolio is organized under five sub-brands — KEIL (E.I. Protein ingredients), KEIL BIO (cosmetics- and medical-grade oils and proteins), GREENCAP FEED (aquaculture and livestock feed), PETSMITH (premium pet food and treats), and ONE FRASS (organic fertilizer from insect frass) — supported by proprietary equipment lines for formulation and packaging. Revenue is generated through B2B ingredient sales to cosmetics, food, medical, and feed manufacturers; OEM/private-label production for brands such as Daehan Feed; direct-to-consumer e-commerce via the KEIL Shop; retail distribution through chains including MINISTOP; and export contracts secured at international trade shows across East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the United States. The go-to-market is sales-led with heavy reliance on trade exhibition presence (THAIFEX, FOODEX Japan, PET FAIR Asia, Global K-FOOD FAIR events) and KOTRA-supported export channels. The company has secured investments from CJ CheilJedang, Samsung and SK Hynix executives, the Daesang UTC MIFAFF Fund of Funds, and other institutional backers, and converted into an agricultural corporation in April 2019.

Name

Keil

Legal name

KEIL Co., Ltd.

Website

https://en.keilcorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KEIL Co., Ltd. is a South Korean green biomaterials company that vertically integrates edible mealworm (Tenebrio) breeding and processing into proteins, oils, antifreeze proteins, and fertilizers for cosmetics, food, pet, feed, and agriculture customers, via B2B ingredient sales, OEM, and consumer brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Protein Ingredients (Edible Insect-Derived Materials)

NAICS

Animal Food Manufacturing (31111), Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Animal Food Manufacturing (3111)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Insect Farming (Crickets, Mealworms, Black Soldier Fly) (AFAEAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Insect Protein Ingredients (Cricket, Black Soldier Fly, Mealworm) (AFAJAHAG), Insect & Live Feed (Crickets, Mealworms, Feeder Roaches) (AFADAFAM)

Keywords

• Edible insect protein
• Mealworm oil extracts
• Alternative protein ingredients
• Insect-based animal feed
• Organic insect fertilizer

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Edible Insect Ingredient Sales: B2B sales of proteins, oils, and other materials derived from mealworms to cosmetics, food, medical, and feed industries.
2. Consumer Products: Direct-to-consumer sales through KEIL SHOP e-commerce platform. Includes pet treats (PETSMITH brand), energy bars, and other finished products.
3. OEM/Private Label Manufacturing: OEM production of pet food ingredients and finished products for other brands.
4. Export Sales: International B2B sales through trade shows and direct contracts with distributors in China, Hong Kong, USA, and other markets.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KEIL Co., Ltd. processes mealworms (Tenebrio) into insect-derived protein ingredients, refined mealworm oil, antifreeze proteins, and fertilizers through a vertically integrated system spanning an automated smart farm (SuperPoworm Factory) to extraction, drying, and packaging. Its edible insect ingredients are sold B2B to cosmetics, food, functional material, fertilizer, and feed industries, and consumer-facing pet treats, energy bars, and hangover drinks are sold through its own e-commerce shop and retail partners.

Product overview

KEIL operates as a green bio-material company with a vertically integrated system spanning from edible insect breeding to finished products. The core offering is the SUPERPOWORM Factory, Asia's first automated smart farm producing 2,000 tons of mealworms annually. The company differentiates through multiple sub-brands: KEIL (E.I. Protein ingredients), KEIL BIO (mealworm oil and protein extracts for cosmetics/food), GREENCAP FEED (animal feed), PETSMITH (premium pet food and treats), and ONE FRASS (organic fertilizer). The product portfolio also includes food processing technology (Formulation Machines and Packing Machines) for producing powdered and packaged insect-derived materials, serving B2B customers in cosmetics, food, livestock, pet, and fertilizer industries globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KEIL: Core brand for edible insect-derived proteins, oils, and food ingredients. Includes mealworm protein products and E.I. Protein superfood.
• KEIL BIO
• GREENCAP FEED
• PETSMITH
• ONE FRASS

Products and services

• KEIL E.I. Protein Ingredient Line B2B protein ingredient range derived from Tenebrio mealworms via eco-friendly hydrolysis with water and enzymes, supplied to cosmetics, food, functional material, and medical manufacturers with verified anti-oxidative, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory properties.
• KEIL BIO Mealworm Oil and Protein Extracts Bio-based line of cold-pressed mealworm oil (INCI-registered) and purified fatty acid and protein extracts for cosmetics, food, and medical industry applications, with verified anti-inflammatory (TNF-α and IL-6 inhibition) effects.
• GREENCAP FEED Insect Protein Feed Sustainable animal feed brand providing mealworm-based protein as a replacement for fish meal in aquaculture (shrimp and fish farming) and livestock diets, supported by feeding-trial data on weight gain and survival.
• PETSMITH Premium Pet Food and Treats Premium pet treats and dry food using human-grade mealworm powder for dogs and cats, marketed as hypoallergenic, antibiotic-free, and beneficial for liver function, skin, and coat quality, with FDA-approved formulations.
• ONE FRASS Organic Fertilizer Natural organic fertilizer made from insect frass (mealworm feces) for restoring barren or acidified soil, marketed as the only fertilizer usable for sustainable ecosystem restoration and prevention of eutrophication and red tide.
• Yaksu-dong Hangover Cure Drink Functional beverage marketed for hangover and liver function support, formulated with KEIL E.I. Protein and clinically investigated for liver recovery in collaboration with MD Healthcare and Dankook University.
• KEIL Energy Bar Original Insect-protein energy bar made from edible mealworm protein, sold through KEIL SHOP and other consumer channels for health-conscious consumers and outdoor use.
• Pet Smith Black Label Premium Pet Snacks Premium-tier pet treats under the PETSMITH Black Label line using edible insect protein, targeted at the premium domestic pet snack market.
• SuperPoworm Factory (Automated Mealworm Smart Farm) Vertically integrated automated production facility spanning one hectare that breeds, sorts, washes, and dries 2,000 tons of mealworms per year under HACCP standards using ICT sensor systems and online robotic quality assurance.
• Food Processing Technology (Drying Technology) Processing technology services for edible insects that apply thermal air drying, microwave drying, and infrared drying methods to standardize moisture content and quality of processed insect material.
• Formulation Machines (Industrial Equipment Line) Industrial equipment including a 200L Granule System for high-viscosity mixing, a Ball Making Machine System producing 2-25mm diameter balls, and a 500L Pilot Autoclave (max 142°C) for retort food sterilization, supplied to ingredient and pet food producers.
• Packing Machines (Industrial Packaging Equipment) Packaging equipment consisting of an Automatic Sachet Packaging Machine (15-25 RPM, 4-line), a Stick Packing Machine (1-12g capacity), and a Pouch Packing Machine (10-35 bags/min) for powdered and granular insect-derived products.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% replacement of fish meal with mealworm feed increased percentage weight gain by 50% in Pacific white shrimp experiments
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• MINISTOPmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2019Signed direct distribution code for supplying Yaksu-dong Hangover Cure Drink to MINISTOP convenience store chain.
• Daehan Feed Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2017Concluded contract for development of edible insect-derived products and materials. Pet Smith brand registered as OEM pet dry food and treats.
• MD HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2017Conducted joint clinical research on liver recovery and microbiome for Yaksu-dong Hangover Cure Drink.
• Jeong Poong Co., Ltd. (Daesang Holdings)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2016Signed contract for development of edible insect-derived materials with Jeong Poong, affiliated to Daesang Holdings.
• CJ CheilJedang Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2016Signed comprehensive MOU for development of edible insect-derived materials. Later signed investment contracts with CJ CheilJedang in November 2019.
• Dankook University Medical TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with clinical research professionals at Dankook University medical team for clinical trial on hangover recovery drink.
• KOTRAmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKorea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency organized participation in THAIFEX, PET FAIR Asia, and Global K-FOOD FAIR events internationally.
• Small and Medium Companies NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaintains close relationship with small and medium-sized companies for joint material development and product launch.
• City SupermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHong Kong retailer supplying KEIL products through export contracts concluded at 2018 Global K-FOOD FAIR.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Chapul: US-based cricket protein producer for food, pet food, and soil amendments; participated in the same 2017 insect industry symposium as KEIL and is an early-stage peer in cricket-based protein ingredients.
• Hargol FoodTech: Israeli locust (grasshopper) farming company producing insect protein for food and feed; offers an alternative insect protein source with overlapping B2B ingredient customers but focuses on a different species than KEIL.

Direct peers

• Aspire Food Group: North American insect protein company producing cricket-based food ingredients and whole roasted crickets for human food and pet food markets; serves the same B2B ingredient and consumer protein categories as KEIL.
• AgriProtein: South African insect protein company using black soldier fly larvae to convert organic waste into feed protein; competes in the insect-based feed protein market with similar sustainability narrative to KEIL's GREENCAP FEED.
• Protix: Dutch insect ingredient company farming black soldier fly larvae for animal feed and pet food; competes with KEIL in the alternative protein ingredients space serving feed, pet food, and food manufacturers across Europe and Asia.
• Entomo Farms: Canadian mealworm and cricket producer supplying edible insect ingredients for human food and pet food; participated alongside KEIL in the 2017 International Symposium on the Insect Industry, and is a direct mealworm protein peer.
• Ÿnsect: French insect protein producer farming mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) for food, feed, and pet food applications; operates one of the largest industrial insect farms globally and is the most directly comparable vertically integrated mealworm peer to KEIL.
• InnovaFeed: French insect protein producer using black soldier fly for aquaculture feed and pet food; directly competes with KEIL's GREENCAP FEED in providing insect-based protein to replace fishmeal in aquaculture.

Broad incumbents

• Daesang Corporation (Jeong Poong): Major Korean food and ingredient manufacturer and KEIL's strategic partner via Jeong Poong; develops functional food ingredients and alternative proteins at much larger scale, serving overlapping B2B customers in food processing.
• CJ CheilJedang: Korean food and bio conglomerate and KEIL's strategic investor; develops alternative proteins and food ingredients broadly, including through its own insect material partnership with KEIL, making it a partially overlapping competitor in bio-ingredients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubebit.ly/2COK520
• Facebookfacebook.com/keilab.story
• Instagraminstagram.com/keilcorp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keil-co-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Keil