A review of insect bioconversion in Aotearoa-New Zealand and beyond: Filling the gaps for scalable waste valorisation solutions

Current global estimates are that 40% of food produced for human consumption is being wasted, amounting to 2.5 billion tonnes of food waste each year. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 aims to respond to this by 2030. In addition, Aotearoa-New Zealand is equally under pressure to minimise food waste and greenhouse gas emissions and has committed to its own Emissions Reduction Plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Insect bioconversion has emerged as a promising, novel and sustainable strategy for upcycling large amounts of organic waste into added-value products such as feed for livestock, industrial compounds including biofuel and chitin, and soil amendments/fertilisers for improving soil quality and productivity. This review explores the research landscape and commercial potential of insect bioconversion in Aotearoa-New Zealand, focusing on the black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens L.; BSF)—a tropical species renowned for its efficiency in bioconversion and its nutrient-rich larvae. We examine current research efforts to valorise agricultural and food waste streams in Aotearoa-New Zealand, assess the economic viability and energy requirements of insect bioconversion in temperate climates, compare its environmental footprint against conventional animal feed production, identify key scientific and technological challenges, and discuss regulatory, infrastructural, and market barriers that must be overcome to establish a viable BSF-based bioconversion industry. By highlighting knowledge gaps, this review also aims to inform future research directions and policy frameworks that could support circular bioeconomy transitions in Aotearoa-New Zealand and beyond.