Mars Petcare’s new catfood brand, Lovebug, is made exclusively from black soldier fly larvae insect meal, as well as essential nutrients, such as amino acids, and a vegan coating.

The company said Lovebug is aimed at environmentally conscious consumers who are concerned about their pets’ environmental pawprints, and also comes in fully recyclable and plastic-free packaging.

Mars Petcare joined forces with sustainability entrepreneurs Futerra to develop Lovebug at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute.

The insects used take up 80% less land than beef, per kilo of protein, meaning that land use is reduced, plus they are fed on 100% surplus vegetable and food waste, and sourced from a farm powered by 100% renewable energy.

Deri Watkins, European president of Mars Pet Nutrition, said: “I’ve heard some people suggest that eating insects is gross. We think cats will disagree.

“While we’re making cats happy, we want to keep cat lovers happy too. With Lovebug, they won’t have to worry about their environmental footprint. That’s just the start, we have innovations on the way so pet parents will have more sustainable choices.”