Impact investors from Toniic — including Katapult, Africa Health Ventures, and Cornelia Tremann — have backed Ghana-based Legendary Foods, a startup pioneering insect-based protein through palm larva (“akokono” in Twi).
Why it matters
- Palm larva is a complete protein, rich in iron, zinc, and B-vitamins.
- It’s a culturally familiar food in West Africa, giving it an edge over other alternative proteins.
- The model is climate-positive, upcycling over 100 tons of agricultural waste each month and avoiding 700+ tons of CO₂ annually.
How it works
Legendary Foods scales palm larva farming with biotechnology, turning agricultural by-products into:
- Consumer foods: protein-rich cookies, sauces, and condiments.
- B2B ingredients: protein powders and oils for African food manufacturers.
- Humanitarian nutrition programs: shelf-stable, nutrient-dense foods for relief efforts.
Impact so far
- 60 jobs created, with over half for women.
- Africa’s largest palm larva farm, based in Ghana.
- Early expansion into Congo, where demand for larva is high.
Investor view
- Tharald Nustad, Katapult: “By producing climate-positive alternative proteins with a circular model, Legendary Foods addresses environmental challenges while tapping into a growing market.”
- Rowena Luk, Africa Health Ventures: “This is a leapfrog opportunity for Africa to lead in sustainable and culturally acceptable insect proteins.”
- Cornelia Tremann: “Founder Shobhita Soor has grit, experience, and the networks to make this succeed.”
What’s next
Legendary Foods is scaling distribution across Ghana and piloting in Congo, aiming to position Africa as a leader in sustainable protein innovation.
Learn more about other African tech startups on Labari Insights, our data repository for tech in Africa: insights.techlabari.com
