Empowering Women in Agrifood: Interview with Greta Budreikė, Co-founder of Tastik

Editor’s Note: This blog post was developed in partnership with and with financial backing from EIT Food.

The Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) program by EIT Food gives an exceptional system for women business owners to drive development in developing a lasting food system. Sustained by the European Institute of Technology and Innovation (EIT), a body of the European Union, this campaign champs ladies in farming by outfitting them with the devices, abilities, and networks required to do well. Female’s payments to lasting food systems and country areas are vital, yet usually neglected, and this program looks for to connect that void by promoting management, self-confidence, and organization acumen amongst individuals.

The 2024 version of the EWA program noted its 5th effective year, involving 120 women business owners from 12 nations, consisting of Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and Ukraine. Throughout 6 months, individuals took advantage of a detailed collection of mentoring, organization mentoring, and networking chances, together with been experts training used in neighborhood languages. Extremely, the campaign has actually brought about the development of 35 start-ups and the raising of EUR13 million in financing, showing its transformative effect on the market.

As component of this collection, we will certainly include meetings with 3 impressive champions from the 2024 EWA program. Each meeting will certainly supply a special look right into the means this program equips ladies to drive purposeful modification in the agri-food market. Allow’s solve into it!

Meeting with Greta Budreikė, Founder of Tastik

Today, we are delighted to share our initial meeting with Greta Budreikė, co-creator of Tastik and an individual in the 2024 EWA program. Her cutting-edge technique to alternate healthy proteins has actually caused the development of cricket-based morning meal grains that are both lasting and nutrient-rich. In this meeting, we look into her business trip, the ideas behind Tastik, and the influence of the EWA program on her success.

Could you begin this meeting by sharing the ideas behind Tastik and just how you initially ended up being thinking about alternate healthy proteins?

I have actually constantly wondered concerning items, their components, and healthy and balanced consuming. For many years, I made an aware initiative to guarantee my everyday diet regimen consisted of adequate healthy protein. I was aware of its advantages and comprehended its significance. I looked for healthy protein almost everywhere– in day-to-day items and food supplements. Specialized healthy protein foods were usually disagreeable and extremely costly, so I searched for choices.

I uncovered crickets rather by mishap after reviewing a write-up on among one of the most widely known Lithuanian net websites. I was right away captivated by their dietary structure. Without much doubt, I set up a browse through to a cricket ranch. I was attracted by every little thing– their farming, business chances they offered, and, most importantly, their preference. Then, I attempted a straightforward dried out pest which, also without flavoring, was remarkably scrumptious.

What were several of the greatest difficulties you dealt with in creating Tastik, and just how did you conquer them?

The greatest obstacle has actually relapsed the preconception around bugs. Many individuals are just worried to consume them. I concentrate greatly on education and learning, supplying workshops and discussions to educate individuals concerning crickets, their dietary worth, and just how the food is made. I create short articles, provide talks, and take part in public tasks to advertise this lasting organization and highlight the significance of alternate healthy proteins.

Various other difficulties consist of browsing regulative needs and bring in financial investment. Increasing right into international markets and developing brand name understanding is crucial, yet each nation has various regulations pertaining to alternate healthy proteins like crickets. I invest substantial time collecting details, seeking advice from specialists, and joining entrepreneurship programs to much better recognize these distinctions and safe and secure EU financing. Signing up with the EWA program was a tactical choice to acquire targeted expertise in these locations.

When did you initially become aware of the EWA program, and what inspired you to use?

I have 15 years of experience creating and carrying out EU-funded jobs and am deeply thinking about Lithuania’s development in this field. I proactively comply with which procedures are covered by EU assistance, which organisations are accountable for particular industries, and what chances are offered for young business owners like myself. I initially read about the EWA program at a conference yet missed out on the possibility to take part in 2023. I excitedly waited for the 2024 telephone call yet almost missed out on the due date. Fortunately, a buddy motivated me to use, acknowledging just how much the program can aid me attain my objectives.

Just how did the mentorship and training throughout the EWA program influence your technique to Tastik? What would certainly you recognize as the 3 most important takeaways from the program?

Putting On the EWA program was a considerable incentive for me. From the start, I was established to strive and win. The program was of the best, and it was an advantage to deal with such experts.

I am especially thankful to my advisor, Inga Juozapavičienė, that directed me over the six-month duration. We developed an efficient working partnership, with regular conferences and plainly specified jobs that I needed to provide when finished. It resembled participating in an institution of entrepreneurship.

The mentorship and training gave me with vital expertise, devices, and a brand-new viewpoint on development. The 3 most important takeaways were:

• A much deeper understanding of troubles: My advisor motivated me to evaluate customer requirements on a wider range, assisting me not just create an item yet additionally produce purposeful options.
• A more clear calculated strategy: The program assisted me structure my concepts right into workable actions, verbalize the item’s worth, and recognize my target consumers.
• Self-confidence and inspiration: Involvement enhanced my idea in Tastik’s possibility, provided me the guts to go after enthusiastic objectives, and inspired me to end up being an aggressive representative of modification in food innovation.

Sustainability is a foundation of Tastik’s goal. Just how do you guarantee your items and manufacturing procedures line up with this worth?

Sustainability is just one of my leading concerns. Every choice is made with the ecological and social influence in mind. By picking cricket healthy protein (Acheta domesticus) as the major basic material, I intend to reduce the eco-friendly impact of my tasks and influence modification in the food sector.

Cricket farming is extremely lasting. Crickets call for substantially much less water, feed, and land than standard animals, while additionally producing much less greenhouse gases. Furthermore, they can be fed natural waste, advertising the round economic climate.

This technique not just deals with the globe’s requirement for lasting food choices yet additionally produces lasting worth by decreasing ecological stress, combating environment modification, and motivating accountable usage.

Just how do you picture alternate healthy proteins like cricket-based items forming the future of international food systems and customer behaviors?

Alternate healthy proteins have the possible to change international food systems and customer behaviors. They resolve crucial difficulties such as nourishment and sustainability. Secret facets consist of:

1. Improving nourishment: Cricket healthy protein gives a total amino acid account, crucial vitamins, and minerals, making it especially valuable for older grownups to preserve muscular tissue mass, bone toughness, and immune health and wellness.
2. Personalisation: Advancements like 3D printing will certainly permit customized items that fulfill specific dietary requirements and choices, supplying an attractive and sensible eating experience.
3. Lasting food systems: Cricket healthy protein provides a low-impact, reliable option to standard animals farming, assisting to reduce stress on international food manufacturing.
4. Transforming customer behaviors: Ingenious, healthy, and yummy items can aid get over scepticism concerning alternate healthy proteins and motivate prevalent fostering.
5. Improving international health and wellness: Useful foods made with alternate healthy proteins can fight lack of nutrition worldwide, satisfying varied markets and social requirements.

The future hinge on options that incorporate sustainability, development, and social influence.

Ultimately, what guidance would certainly you supply to various other ladies business owners thinking about beginning their very own business trip?

• Take the very first step: Beginning can be difficult, yet activity is one of the most fundamental part. Also little actions can bring about considerable modifications.
• Border on your own with the ideal individuals: Look for coaches, peers, and experts that influence and sustain you. Programs like EWA can aid construct your self-confidence and open brand-new chances.
• Develop a purposeful vision: Concentrate on developing a company that not just creates earnings yet additionally addresses social and ecological problems. An accountable technique will certainly establish you apart out there and make an actual distinction.
• Maintain knowing and adapting: Every obstacle is a lesson. Keep available to originalities, patterns, and chances to aid your organization expand and do well.

Commemorating success and looking in advance

The EWA programme proceeds showing the power of targeted assistance for ladies business owners in the agri-food market. Offering mentorship, networking, and hands-on training, this program allows individuals to bring their cutting-edge concepts to life while promoting a much more comprehensive and lasting food system. The success tales from the 2024 version emphasize the program’s significant influence, from safeguarding financing to scaling organizations and going into brand-new markets.

Keep tuned for our following meeting, where we will certainly highlight one more motivating individual from the EWA program. Each tale highlights the transformative possibility of equipping ladies in agrifood and advises us of the vital function they play fit the future of lasting food systems.

The blog post Empowering Women in Agrifood: Interview with Greta Budreikė, Co-founder of Tastik showed up initially on EU-Startups.