Top Hat Cricket Farm, Inc.

What Top Hat Cricket Farm, Inc. does

Top Hat Cricket Farm, Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned cricket farming operation headquartered in Portage, Michigan, that breeds and sells live feeder insects to the reptile, amphibian, and bird-keeping markets. The company exclusively raises Gryllodes sigillatus (tropical house cricket), a species it adopted after the 2010 Acheta densovirus outbreak destroyed industry-standard cricket stocks; this species is selected for virus resistance, hardiness, longer shelf life, and digestibility. The product catalog spans six cricket sizes from pinhead to extra large, complemented by mealworms, giant mealworms, superworms, waxworms, hornworms, fruit fly cultures, and keeper accessories such as egg cartons.

The business operates a dual-channel go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer sales run through tophatcrickets.com, with orders shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight under a live-arrival guarantee for temperatures between 25°F and 90°F, using seasonal packaging protocols (vented boxes in warm months, blind boxes in cold, heat packs in colder conditions, sleeve boxes in snow). A wholesale program targets pet stores, animal rescues, and breeding operations with a minimum 10,000-crickets-per-week recurring order threshold and quote-based pricing; large orders above 20,000 crickets are routed through Southwest Air Cargo. The company also distributes through local retail partners (Pet Supplies Plus, MVPets, Collison Zoo) and holds USDA/APHIS permits for interstate movement of Gryllodes sigillatus across 45 states, with Canada served for large orders on request.

Revenue is generated through one-time DTC purchases and recurring B2B subscriptions, with publicly listed unit prices ranging from $2.99 (50ct mealworms) to $36.99 (1000ct superworms) and subscription savings of 7% on recurring cricket orders. Customer segments include individual hobbyist pet owners (primary), pet retailers and rescue organizations, and professional breeding operations. The company has 1-10 employees, no external funding, no parent company, and no public listing.

Name

Top Hat Cricket Farm, Inc.

Legal name

Tophat Cricket Farm INC

Website

https://tophatcrickets.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Top Hat Cricket Farm is a third-generation, family-owned cricket farm in Portage, Michigan that breeds and sells live Gryllodes sigillatus feeder crickets, worms, and supplies to reptile, amphibian, and bird owners via DTC e-commerce and wholesale channels across 45 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Feeder Insects

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Reptile & Amphibian Feed (AFADAFAK)

Keywords

• Live feeder crickets
• Feeder insects wholesale
• Reptile pet supplies
• Mealworms and worms
• Bulk cricket supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Portage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce (Individual Orders): Online sales of live crickets and worms to individual pet owners. Customers purchase through the website, selecting cricket sizes (pinhead to extra large), quantities, and add-on products. Orders ship via FedEx Priority Overnight with live delivery guarantee. Subscription/recurring order options available for regular customers.
2. Wholesale Bulk Orders: B2B sales to pet stores, rescue organizations, and breeding operations. Wholesale pricing begins at minimum 10,000 crickets per recurring weekly order. Personalized quotes provided based on volume and order frequency. Recurring delivery schedules supported.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Top Hat Cricket Farm breeds and sells live Gryllodes sigillatus (tropical house cricket) feeder insects in six size tiers—from pinhead to extra large—for reptile, amphibian, and bird owners. The product line is complemented by mealworms, giant mealworms, superworms, waxworms, hornworms, and fruit fly cultures, plus cricket-keeping supplies such as egg cartons. Products are sold via direct-to-consumer e-commerce with FedEx Priority Overnight shipping, a wholesale program for bulk buyers, and local retail distributors.

Product overview

Top Hat Cricket Farm is a family-owned e-commerce business selling live feeder insects primarily for reptile, amphibian, and bird nutrition. The core product line consists of six sizes of live Gryllodes sigillatus (tropical house) crickets ranging from pinhead to extra large, complemented by a variety of worms including mealworms, giant mealworms, superworms, waxworms, hornworms, and fruit fly cultures. The company also sells cricket-keeping supplies such as egg cartons. Products are available for individual purchase or through wholesale bulk orders (minimum 10,000 crickets weekly).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pinhead Crickets Freshly hatched Gryllodes sigillatus crickets measuring approximately 1/16\" to 1/8\" in length, ideal for newly hatched reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates such as dart frogs, baby geckos, and spiderlings. Priced at $9.99.
• Extra Small (1/8") Crickets Extra small Gryllodes sigillatus crickets measuring approximately 1/8 inch in length, suitable for juvenile reptiles and amphibians. Priced at $9.99.
• Small Crickets Small Gryllodes sigillatus crickets measuring approximately 1/4 inch in length, ideal for juvenile bearded dragons, leopard geckos, tree frogs, and small lizards. Priced at $7.99.
• Medium Crickets Medium-sized Gryllodes sigillatus crickets suitable for adult leopard geckos, medium-sized lizards, and most tarantulas. Priced at $8.99.
• Large (Medium-Large) Crickets Large Gryllodes sigillatus crickets suitable for adult bearded dragons, monitors, large frogs, and birds. Priced at $12.99.
• Extra Large Crickets Extra large Gryllodes sigillatus crickets, the largest size available, suitable for adult bearded dragons, monitors, and larger species. Priced at $16.99.
• Mealworms Live mealworms (Tenebrio molitor larvae) available in counts from 50 to 1,000, an excellent source of protein and vitamins for reptiles, birds, hedgehogs, and chickens. Refrigeration extends shelf life. Priced from $2.99 to $15.99.
• Giant Mealworms Larger mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) offering more mass per bite, ideal for medium and large reptiles and birds. Priced from $4.99 to $34.99.
• Superworms Zophobas morio larvae larger and more active than common mealworms, popular for reptiles and birds and available in counts from 25 to 1,000. Do not require refrigeration. Priced from $5.99 to $36.99.
• Waxworms Larvae of the greater bee moth (Galleria mellonella), soft-bodied and easy to digest, suitable as a treat to diversify pet diets. Priced from $4.99 to $14.99.
• Hornworms Larvae of the sphinx or hawk moth, shipped in a habitat with moist food. High moisture content makes them suitable for hydration. Priced from $9.99 to $10.99.
• Fruit Fly Culture Live Drosophila melanogaster cultures, the smaller of two common feeder fruit flies, ideal for dart frogs, juvenile reptiles, mantises, spiderlings, and betta fish. Flightless strain, requires approximately 5 days to mature before hatching. Price not publicly listed.
• New Egg Cartons (12-pack) 12-pack of egg cartons recommended for placing in bug storage bins to provide hiding places for crickets. Priced at $9.99.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.5 to 6 million crickets per week production capacity achieved in mid-1990s
• +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.

• Pet Supplies PluscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational pet retail chain that serves as a local distributor for Top Hat Cricket Farm products. Customers can purchase live crickets through Pet Supplies Plus locations rather than ordering direct. Pet Supplies Plus is a major pet retail chain with hundreds of stores across the United States.
• MVPetscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal pet supply distributor serving as an alternative channel for customers who prefer in-store pickup over direct shipping. Part of Top Hat's strategy to serve the community through local distributors rather than customer facility pick-ups.
• Collison ZoocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal pet supply distributor that serves as an alternative channel for customers in the Michigan area. Helps Top Hat serve the community through local distributors as part of their no customer pick-up policy.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pet Supplies Plus: National pet retail chain that both distributes Top Hat's products and competes broadly for pet-owner spend. While not a cricket farm, it is a major retail channel serving the same reptile/amphibian owner customer base.

Direct peers

• Timberline Live Pet Foods: Marinette, Wisconsin-based producer of live feeder insects including crickets, mealworms, and other invertebrates. Competes directly with Top Hat in DTC and B2B channels for the reptile/amphibian feeder market.
• Ghann's Cricket Farm: Augusta, Georgia-based cricket farm established in the late 1960s. Sells live crickets and other feeder insects via DTC and wholesale, directly competing with Top Hat in the southeastern U.S. feeder-insect category.
• Rainbow Mealworms: California-based feeder-insect producer specializing in mealworms and superworms, with cricket offerings. Competes with Top Hat across the worm/cricket product lines targeting reptile and amphibian keepers.
• Bassett's Cricket Ranch: Texas-based commercial cricket farm and a long-standing competitor to Top Hat in the U.S. feeder-insect market. Produces live crickets in multiple sizes for reptile and amphibian keepers, with comparable wholesale and direct shipping operations.
• Fluker Farms: One of the largest U.S. feeder-insect producers based in Louisiana, breeding crickets, mealworms, and other live insects for the reptile/amphibian pet market. Competes head-to-head with Top Hat across cricket sizes and worm varieties via similar DTC and wholesale channels.
• Grubco: Producer of live feeder insects for the reptile and amphibian hobby market. Offers crickets, mealworms, and related products through DTC and wholesale channels comparable to Top Hat's distribution model.
• Armstrong's Cricket Farm: Ohio-based cricket farm producing live crickets for reptile and amphibian keepers. A direct competitor in feeder-insect production with overlapping customer base of pet stores and individual hobbyists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/top-hat-cricket-farm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Top Hat Cricket Farm, Inc.