What NRGene Canada does

NRGene Canada Inc. is a biotechnology company headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, that develops elite Black Soldier Fly (BSF) genetics through an AI-driven genomics platform combined with selective crossbreeding of globally sourced BSF lines. The company's flagship product, MaxBSF™, is positioned as the world's first elite commercial BSF strain, delivering 50–100% larger larvae, 50–150% faster growth, 7–8 day production cycles, 30% lower production costs per ton, and approximately 90% capacity uplift versus standard strains. Its second product, MaxBites™, is a single-ingredient, all-natural dried BSF larvae treat (41% protein, 38% fat) for the backyard poultry and specialty pet market. The North American Insect Center (NAIC), operated in partnership with Bühler in Saskatoon, functions as both an R&D hub and a customer demonstration facility equipped with Bühler's Trial Rearing Unit and housing the world's most diverse BSF strain collection.

The company operates multiple business models in parallel: a B2B MaxBSF™ genetics licensing model with a guaranteed buyback of dried larvae and frass at farm-gate prices; long-term B2B larvae supply agreements with commercial partners such as Infinite Harvest Technologies (AgriFood waste processing) and Ile-a-la-Crosse Fish Company (fish processing waste); direct-to-consumer e-commerce for MaxBites™ via maxbsf.com; select retail distribution in Canada with phased U.S. expansion planned for H2 2026; and NAIC-based training, workshops, and trial-rearing services. NRGene Canada is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NRGene Technologies Ltd. (TASE: NRGN), a publicly traded Israeli AgTech company, and is supported by a team of 11–50 employees, with dual facilities planned in Saskatoon (operational January 2025) and Alberta (20x capacity, operations beginning early 2026).

Key technical differentiators include advanced phenotyping and genotyping using molecular tools and image analysis to accelerate breeding cycles, the ability to tailor strains to specific waste streams (fish by-products, crop residues, farm manure), and the use of natural breeding methods with no GMO, gene editing, or CRISPR — a positioning that aligns with clean-label consumer and regulatory expectations in the pet food and waste valorization markets.

Name

NRGene Canada

Legal name

NRGene Canada Inc.

Website

https://nrgenecanada.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NRGene Canada develops elite Black Soldier Fly genetics via AI-driven genomics, licensing MaxBSF™ strains to commercial insect farmers and selling MaxBites™ premium pet treats. The wholly-owned subsidiary of NRGene Technologies Ltd. operates from Saskatoon with Bühler's North American Insect Center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insect Genomics / AgTech Genetics

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Insect-Based Protein Foods Manufacturing (AFAKAGAJ), Insect Protein Ingredients (Cricket, Black Soldier Fly, Mealworm) (AFAJAHAG)

Keywords

• Insect genetics licensing
• Black Soldier Fly farming
• AI-driven genomics
• Organic waste valorization
• Sustainable pet nutrition

Headquarters

HQ city

Saskatoon

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. MaxBSF™ Genetics Licensing: Licensing of elite Black Soldier Fly genetics to insect farmers and producers. Provides 1-day-old MaxBSF larvae to farms which rear larvae on local organic waste, with guaranteed buyback of dried larvae and frass at farm-gate prices.
2. MaxBSF™ Larvae Commercial Supply: Long-term supply agreements for commercial delivery of MaxBSF larvae to partners like Infinite Harvest Technologies Inc. Company transitioned from R&D to commercial operations in Q4 2025 with first supply agreement.
3. MaxBites™ Pet Treat Sales: Direct-to-consumer and retail sales of MaxBites premium pet treats made from 100% dried Black Soldier Fly larvae. Available in 0.25kg to 2kg formats through e-commerce and select retailers in Canada with U.S. expansion planned.
4. NAIC Training & Consulting Services: Industry training, workshops, and hands-on customer trials at North American Insect Center to build BSF expertise from first larvae to full harvest, plus full-cycle performance optimization support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NRGene Canada develops and licenses elite Black Soldier Fly (BSF) genetics — branded MaxBSF™ — produced through AI-driven genomics and selective crossbreeding of globally sourced BSF lines. It supplies one-day-old MaxBSF™ larvae to commercial insect farms for on-farm rearing on organic waste streams and offers guaranteed buyback of dried larvae and frass. It also produces and sells MaxBites™, a 100% dried BSF larvae premium pet treat, and operates the North American Insect Center (NAIC) with Bühler for strain validation, training, and full-cycle performance optimization.

Product overview

NRGene Canada operates a dual-product portfolio centered on Black Soldier Fly genetics and insect protein products. The core offering is MaxBSF™ Genetics—an elite, naturally bred Black Soldier Fly strain available for licensing to insect farmers and producers—which the company supplies as one-day-old larvae. Complementing this B2B genetics business, the company launched MaxBites™ as its first consumer-facing product: a premium pet treat made from the same high-performance BSF larvae, available in 0.25kg to 2kg formats. The company also operates the North American Insect Center (NAIC), a R&D and demonstration facility in partnership with Bühler that supports strain testing and commercial production evaluation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MaxBSF: Elite Black Soldier Fly genetic platform and strain, the world's first elite commercial BSF strain available for licensing to insect farmers.
• MaxBites
• North American Insect Center (NAIC)

Products and services

• MaxBSF™ Genetics Licensed elite Black Soldier Fly genetics delivered as one-day-old larvae for commercial insect farming, with guaranteed buyback of dried larvae and frass at farm-gate prices; designed for producers wanting higher yields and lower per-ton costs on existing infrastructure.
• MaxBites™ Premium Pet Treat Premium dried Black Soldier Fly larvae pet treat (single-ingredient, all-natural, non-GMO; 41% protein, 38% fat, rich in Calcium and Lauric Acid) sold in 0.25kg to 2kg formats to pet owners and backyard poultry keepers via maxbsf.com and pet/feed retailers in Canada.
• North American Insect Center (NAIC) Services R&D, demonstration, training, and trial services delivered through the North American Insect Center (NAIC), including hands-on customer trials, industry training and workshops, and full-cycle performance optimization support from egg production to larvae rearing, harvest, and frass processing. Targeted at prospective commercial insect-protein producers and partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50-150% faster growth vs standard BSF lines
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Infinite Harvest Technologies Inc (IHT)flagshipTechnology or Integration · 4 October 2025First commercial supply agreement for MaxBSF larvae, marking company's transition from R&D to full-scale commercial operations. NRGene Canada supplies one-day-old MaxBSF larvae to IHT, which uses its Bugs4Rent technology to upcycle AgriFood waste into sustainable products. IHT scaling as primary Canadian supplier by 2026, starting from trial volumes.
• Ile-a-la-Crosse Fish Company Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2025Partnership to transform fish processing waste into sustainable protein solutions using Black Soldier Fly larvae technology. NRGene develops tailored and optimized feed protocol for fish waste, calibrated at NAIC facility. Following calibration, both companies will establish a state-of-the-art commercial facility on-site at Ile-a-la-Crosse to process large volumes of fish waste annually.
• BühlercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2024Strategic partnership to launch the North American Insect Center (NAIC) in Saskatoon, Canada. NAIC is a cutting-edge R&D and demonstration facility combining NRGene's genetic innovation with Bühler's world-class equipment, including the advanced Trial Rearing Unit (TRU). The facility enables evaluation of MaxBSF strain performance against specific by-product streams before commercial commitment.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• AgriProtein: South African pioneer in industrial-scale BSF production from organic waste. Directly comparable in feedstock conversion model and competes with NRGene Canada in the global BSF protein space.
• Nutrition Technologies: Singapore-based BSF producer with operations across Southeast Asia, producing insect protein, oil, and frass for animal feed and fertilizer. Direct peer in industrial BSF protein production and waste upcycling.
• InnovaFeed: French BSF producer with co-located insect protein and fertilizer operations serving aquaculture, pet food, and agri-feed. Directly comparable in product category and downstream applications to NRGene Canada.
• Jiminy's: U.S. insect-based pet food and treat brand using cricket and BSF protein. Directly comparable to MaxBites in the North American consumer pet nutrition segment and a competing channel partner for BSF protein.
• Protix: Dutch pioneer in industrial-scale Black Soldier Fly protein production for animal feed and pet food. Directly comparable as a vertically integrated BSF producer and competitor in the European/North American insect protein market.
• Entocycle: UK-based BSF genetics and insect farming technology company offering optimization solutions for industrial-scale producers. Directly comparable in the BSF genetics/technology layer to MaxBSF.
• Yora (Yora Pet Foods): UK-based insect-protein pet food brand using BSF larvae as primary protein source. Directly comparable to MaxBites in the premium sustainable pet treat category.

Broad incumbents

• Darling Ingredients: U.S. listed global renderer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients from animal by-products, with emerging insect protein investments (including partnership with InnovaFeed). Adjacent incumbent in alternative protein ingredients for animal feed and pet food.

Others

• Bühler Group: Swiss industrial equipment manufacturer and NRGene Canada's named NAIC partner, providing the Trial Rearing Unit used for strain validation. Comparator as a supplier of BSF production infrastructure rather than a competing genetics producer.

Emerging players

• Better Bug: Emerging North American insect protein ingredient supplier targeting food, feed, and pet nutrition applications. Comparable as a newer market entrant building BSF-based protein supply for the same downstream customers NRGene Canada is pursuing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NRGeneCanada
• Facebookfacebook.com/nrgenecanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nrgene-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 NRGene Canada