ONE company’s food waste is another’s treasure. Local biotech startup Ento Industries “upcycles” waste from food manufacturers into fertiliser, producing a high-quality protein source in the process.

The secret: black soldier flies and their high-protein larvae. The larvae digest food waste and excrete nutrient-rich “frass” that can be used as fertiliser. The larvae themselves are harvested and turned into animal feed.

Founder and chief executive Nathaniel Phua said: “Our vision is to be this circular economy partner for food manufacturers – to be able to take in all their waste and turn it into something usable in the industry again.”