What Bugfoundation does

Bugfoundation is a German food technology company that developed and commercialized Germany's first insect-based burger, the Insektenburger, made from Buffalo insects (Alphitobius Diaperinus) processed with selected vegan components into an ento-vegan, soy-free frozen patty. The proprietary recipe was developed in collaboration with DIL e.V. (Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik) and is positioned as a sustainable, protein-rich alternative to conventional meat burgers. Bugfoundation operates a hybrid business-to-business and business-to-consumer model, distributing through major German retail chains (REWE supermarkets across several hundred locations and tegut frozen food sections) and food service partnerships (Hans im Glück burger chain under the 'Übermorgen-Burger' menu item, plus early placements at Brussels restaurants in Belgium). Revenue is generated through one-time product sales at retail and food service wholesale, with no subscription or licensing model disclosed. The company was founded in 2014 by Baris Özel and Max Krämer, converted from GbR to GmbH in 2017, and was acquired in 2020 by Kupfer Innovative Food GmbH & Co. KG, a family-owned food company that operates Bugfoundation as a brand within a portfolio of vegan and meat products. The company reports 1-10 employees, is headquartered in Osnabrück, and operates under the legal entity Kupfer Innovative Food GmbH & Co. KG (registered in Heilsbronn, Handelsregister HRA 3892).

Name

Bugfoundation

Legal name

Kupfer Innovative Food GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://bugfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bugfoundation GmbH creates Germany's first commercially available insect burger (Insektenburger) from Buffalo insects, selling frozen patties through German retail chains (REWE, tegut) and food service partners (Hans im Glück). Now operating as a brand within Kupfer Innovative Food's vegan and meat product portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insect-Based Food / Alternative Protein

NAICS

Frozen Food Manufacturing (31141)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Insect-Based Protein Foods Manufacturing (AFAKAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals) (AFANAKAO), Frozen Plant-Based & Vegetarian Meals (CRADADAF), Insect Protein Ingredients (Cricket, Black Soldier Fly, Mealworm) (AFAJAHAG)

Keywords

• Insect-based food
• Alternative protein
• Sustainable meat substitutes
• Entomophagy products
• Plant-insect hybrid foods

Headquarters

HQ city

Osnabrück

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consumer Retail Product Sales: Bugfoundation sells its insect burger directly to consumers through retail supermarket chains (REWE, tegut) via frozen food sections, generating revenue through product sales at retail stores across Germany.
2. Food Service / Restaurant Distribution: The insect burger is sold through restaurant and burger chain partnerships, including Hans im Glück (as the 'Übermorgen-Burger') and restaurants in Brussels, generating revenue through food service wholesale distribution.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bugfoundation manufactures and sells Germany's first commercially available insect-based burger (Insektenburger) made from Buffalo insects (Alphitobius Diaperinus) combined with vegan components. The product is sold frozen through German supermarket chains (REWE, tegut) and served at restaurant chains (Hans im Glück) as a sustainable, protein-rich alternative to conventional meat burgers. The ento-vegan, soy-free formulation is rich in proteins, fiber, and essential micronutrients including iron, zinc, and B-vitamins.

Product overview

Bugfoundation is a food technology company specializing in insect-based food products, most notably Germany's first commercially available insect burger. The core product is the Insektenburger, a plant-insect hybrid burger patty that was later reformulated to be ento-vegan and soy-free. The product is sold frozen through retail channels (REWE supermarkets) and at restaurant partners (Hans im Glück burger chain). The company positions its offerings as a delicious, nutritious, and sustainable protein alternative to conventional meat. In 2020, the Insektenburger was relaunched with an improved recipe to compete with premium conventional burgers. The company was acquired by Kupfer Innovative Food GmbH & Co. KG in 2019.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Insektenburger Germany's first insect-based burger patty made from Buffalo insects (Alphitobius Diaperinus) combined with vegan components. The ento-vegan, soy-free formulation is rich in proteins, dietary fiber, and essential micronutrients (iron, zinc, B-vitamins). Sold frozen in supermarket chains (REWE, tegut) and served at restaurant chains (Hans im Glück) as a sustainable alternative to conventional meat burgers, verified by Life Cycle Assessment to be 28x more efficient than beef per kilogram of protein.

Quantifiable outcome

• Buffalo insects are 28x more efficient than beef per kilogram of protein (drastically less feed, water, land; fraction of greenhouse gas emissions)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DIL e.V. (Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBugfoundation partnered with DIL e.V., one of Europe\'s leading food technology research institutes, to develop the unique taste and consistency of their insect burger. DIL e.V. provided research and technical expertise that helped transform the founders\' concept into a commercially viable food product with great taste and texture.
• INTERREG V / FOOD FUTURE ProgrammeminorOthersBugfoundation received both financial support and ideological backing from the INTERREG V / FOOD FUTURE EU funding programme. This early-stage support helped fund product development and research activities for the insect burger.
• Hans im GlückcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHans im Glück, a German burger grill chain, partnered with Bugfoundation to sell the insect burger as the 'Übermorgen-Burger' on their menu across their restaurant locations. The partnership positions the product at a burger chain to expose new consumer segments to insect-based eating and expand brand reach beyond retail.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bugsolutely: Italy-based company producing cricket-based pasta and snack products for retail across Europe. Comparable as a European insect-food CPG brand with retail distribution and prepared-meal positioning.
• Eat Grub: UK-based insect food brand offering cricket-based snacks, powders, and prepared meal ingredients to consumers via retail and online channels. Comparable as a Western European branded insect-food startup targeting mainstream consumers.
• Jimini's: French insect-based food brand selling insect snacks, powders, and prepared products through European retail and food service. Most direct comparable in terms of branded consumer insect food products sold via mainstream retailers.
• Six Foods (Chirps Chips): US-based cricket-based snack brand selling chips and baked goods through retail and online. Comparable as a Western-market insect-based CPG brand targeting mainstream consumer snack occasions.

Emerging players

• Aspire Food Group: North America-based insect protein producer farming crickets and mealworms for human food and pet food applications. Comparable as an emerging branded insect-food player in Western markets, with overlapping target consumer segments.
• Cricket Flours: UK-based cricket flour producer supplying ingredients and finished consumer products. Comparable as a smaller European insect-food player serving health-conscious and sustainable-protein consumer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Entomo Farms: Canadian cricket farming and ingredient supplier producing cricket powder and branded consumer products. Comparable as a vertically integrated insect-protein supplier serving human-food markets with retail SKUs.
• Ÿnsect: France-based insect protein producer at significantly larger scale, focused on mealworm ingredients for animal feed and human food. Comparable as a European insect-protein player, though broader in scope and B2B-focused versus Bugfoundation's branded consumer approach.
• InnovaFeed: French insect protein producer (Black Soldier Fly) primarily supplying animal-feed ingredients. Adjacent incumbent in the European insect-protein space with similar sustainability positioning but B2B-focused.
• Protix: Dutch insect protein producer (Black Soldier Fly) supplying ingredients for animal feed and human food. Relevant as a European insect-protein incumbent that conducted the LCA referenced in Bugfoundation's environmental claims.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Bugfoundation