EXO: Creepy, crawly, and packed with protein...
Just over a year since Brooklyn-based EXO Inc first started shipping its cricket-flour-packed protein bars, it's now in around 100 stores from Whole Foods and independent grocers to CrossFit gyms and juice bars.
However, most of its business is done online, says the firm, which was founded by Brown University graduates Gaby Lewis and Greg Sewitz, who suspected they might be onto a winner after launching a Kickstarter campaign in July 2013 that raised almost $55,000 from 1,000+ individuals in a matter of days.
While consumers will be in no doubt that EXO bars contain bugs (it's hard to miss 'Made with Cricket Flour' on the front of the pack), the emphasis is on protein, says the firm, which also flags up the bars' soy, dairy and gluten-free credentials.
Three of the four EXO bars are also 'grain-free', which appeals to the Paleo community, they add. Each 60g bar contains 10g of protein, while calories range from 260 to 300.