Chad and Claire Simons, the husband-and-wife duo behind 3 Cricketeers Cricket Farm in Minneapolis are devoted to ensuring new customers’ first introductions to crickets, while maybe daring at first, are ultimately surprising and delicious.
The 3 Cricketeers journey began on Earth Day when the Simons’ son brought home a cricket cookie. This tasty surprise sparked an idea that blossomed into a business dedicated to promoting sustainable and nutritious crickets.
Claire is a nurse and head chef at 3 Cricketeers. She crafts delicious cricket-based treats and is proud to champion their health benefits. “We love innovating new ways to introduce people to crickets. We began with a molasses cookie and an energy bar, but as we’ve developed as chefs and built out our kitchen, we’ve expanded quite a bit. Now we have different chocolate products, caramel corn, snack mixes, and many things in development we’re excited about launching this year. (Hint: think baked goods and pastas.) People don’t realize how versatile crickets can be, and we love surprising new fans,” she said.
Chad, an environmental attorney turned cricket rancher, manages the farm. The big difference between standard field crickets and food-grade crickets used by 3 Cricketeers lies in their farming practices. Claire shared, “Using modern techniques and proprietary feed blends, we raise crickets specifically to pair well with the foods we add them to – delicious gourmet ingredients like Rainforest Alliance Chocolate and organic popcorns.”
Chad and Claire thrive on connecting with the growing community of insect enthusiasts, so don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, or photos. Plus, don’t miss out on their Mighty Muffins baking contest at the MN State Fair!
Ready to try out some crickets? Find your way to the 3 Cricketeers website from the Minnesota Grown directory, or explore other unique Minnesota Grown specialty products statewide.