Back in 2017, Jérémy Defrize had already spent over a decade working in the then-emerging field of insect farming. That’s when he decided to take things a step further. Alongside his lifelong friend and and fellow football fan, Thomas Dormigny, he began shaping a new entrepreneurial venture. Between games and during half-time at their favourite matches, casual discussions turned into strong convictions.
An idea emerged: to invest their energy and expertise into a project that would be innovative, useful, and sustainable.
With a PhD in physiology, Jérémy Defrize began studying a surprising property of Tenebrio molitor, more commonly known as the yellow mealworm. This edible insect, consumed for centuries in parts of Asia and South America, shares an unusual biological feature with humans: the ability to naturally produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
A fascinating discovery. By simply exposing the insect to light, it becomes a source of natural vitamin D3, without chemical intervention or heavy processing. That realisation changed everything.
In a market dominated by D3 derived from lanolin (sheep wool fat) and synthetic sources, mainly from Asia, the two co-founders saw an opportunity: a natural, sustainable, and high-performing alternative.
From idea to innovation
That discovery marked the start of several years of research, testing, sleepless nights, and resilience. Today, Nutriearth holds over 60 patents worldwide and has developed a unique and efficient process to produce this natural, sustainable form of vitamin D3.
Vitamin D is far more than a wellness trend. It plays a vital role in bone health, immune function, and the prevention of many diseases. Yet, 88% of the global population will experience either deficiency or insufficiency at some point in time. The most vulnerable, young children, the elderly, are also those who need the safest, most effective and accessible forms of vitamin D.
Compared to conventional lanolin-based solutions, Nutriearth’s D3, sourced from Tenebrio molitor, offers three times better absorption in the human body, confirming its efficacy.
Two formats, one mission
Today, Nutriearth offers two distinct ingredients for the food and nutraceutical industries:
- N-utra, a vitamin D3-enriched flour ideal for use in everyday food products such as breads, brioches, compotes, biscuits, etc.
- Nutra-oil, a concentrated D3 oil for nutraceutical or low-dose food applications.
Designing a new kind of nutraceutical production site
To bring its innovative ingredients to market, the Nutriearth team needed to move from pilot to full-scale production — a major leap that demanded additional expertise. That’s when Marina Abarquero, a talented young engineer, joined the company with a clear mission: to transform this vision into a fully functional, high-standard production facility.
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