Swiss Supermarket Starts Stocking Bug Burgers

Insects may be the food of the future, and one Swiss supermarket giant is eager to get at the front of that trend. Now Coop, a Swiss supermarket chain, says that starting this spring it will start stocking burgers and "meatballs" made of insects in its stores.

According to The Local, it's not illegal to eat insects in Switzerland, but until recently, food safety regulations required stores to obtain special authorization to sell insects as food. Under new regulations, though, any supermarket or restaurant will be able to sell insects as food as long as they follow standard food safety protocols.

After the news came out from the government, the Coop supermarket chain said it would be adding insect-based food like meatballs and burgers as soon as possible.

A spokesperson said that Coop's success has been due to its capacity to identify trends, and insects could be a big trend in the future. They're a sustainable, environmentally sound food source that are rich in protein and vitamins, and once people get past the "ick" factor, the bugs could be pretty popular.

Coop says it has partnered with a Swiss company called Essento to create the insect-based dishes that will be appearing on its shelves in the next few months.