As you know, the protection of the environment is deeply rooted in our core mission at Näak. We want to offer you the most sustainable sports nutrition that help you stay active while minimizing your carbon footprint. As athletes, we like to set clear and measurable objectives that we can track. Thy is why we committed ourselves to these 4 commitments in 2021 to help protecting our playground.

1. Donate 1% of our profits to environmental initiatives to protect our playground
2. Become a certified B Corporation by the end of 2021
3. Transition to recyclable and/or compostable packaging for all our products by 2025
4. Encourage our community to be active by organizing 1 sport challenge per month

SUSTAINABILITY AT NÄAK 

It comes as no surprise that our planet is currently undergoing a social and ecological crisis that will continue to persist unless we make a change in our lifestyles, particularly in our diets. With the world’s population steadily increasing, experts predict that we will not be able to sustain the world’s current protein diet by the year 2050.  

Thankfully, Näak has taken upon the call to action on sustainability. Our two co-founders are part of a generation that is building awareness on the impact of our diets on the environment. They realized the need for sustainable food products that positively impactshealth, athletic performance,andthe environment. Thus, Näak was born and ever since, the company has been making great strides in developing innovative ways to offersustainable and nutrient-dense productsthat everyone can enjoy! 

What ingredients do we use? 

At Näak, we are committed to using the most sustainable and efficient ingredients to minimize our environmental footprint without compromising on quality. Sustainable ingredients are those that are produced and transported in a manner that limits their contribution to global warming. That is why some of our ingredients are locally-sourced, reducing our environmental footprint. Additionally, we only sell plant- and cricket- based products as they use less resources and are more efficient to produce when compared to animal protein.

Why cricket protein? 

Gaining more and more popularity around the world, cricket protein is truly the superfood of the future. Edible insects are a fantastic source of complete protein, essential fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Learn all about the health benefits of cricketshere!

What’s more: crickets are the world’s most sustainable protein source. The farming of animals has a significant impact on the environment because it requires a lot of land, feed, and water. On the other hand, insect farming is far more sustainable. The graph below compares cricket versus beef farming: just look at the difference!

Research shows that while meat and dairy production accounts for just 37% of the world’s protein consumption, it uses 83% of the world’s farmland and produces 60% of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. In comparison, cricket farming produces 100X less greenhouse gases than beef farming! 

Why plant protein?

Data has continuously proven that plant-based diets are more sustainable than animal-based diets because they use fewer natural resources and are less taxing on the environment. Plant-based diets also providenumerous benefits for athletic performance, which is why so many endurance athletes are adopting this lifestyle. A plant-based diet is perhaps the single most impactful way to reduce your carbon footprint on the planet.  

On average, producing animal protein requires 11X more fossil energy than plant protein for human consumption. Additionally, an omnivorous diet needs 2.9X more water, 2.5X more primary energy, 13X more fertilizer, and 1.4X more pesticides than for a vegetarian diet. Even the land needed just to raise the feed for animal protein is 6-17X greater than for soy protein.  

Our protein powders

With the launch of our new line of protein powders, we have continued to develop and manufacture them in a sustainable way. How? Our vanilla flavor protein powder is completely vegan, made from a blend of soy and pea protein, while the chocolate flavor protein powder is made from a blend of soy, pea, and cricket protein. We chose these blends of protein fornutritional reasons (soy and crickets provide acomplete source of protein), taste, and of course,energy efficiency. For the reasons stated above, these protein sources are the more sustainable option when compared to whey (dairy) protein, which is what is conventionally seen on the market. 

We are confident that our two protein powders are the best option to deliver complete protein in the most sustainable manner.

Sustainable packaging 

At Näak, we make the effort to use recyclable packaging as much as we can, which lowers the need for mining, refining, and processing new items from raw materials. By recycling, you help reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while conserving natural resources like energy and water.

We even take sustainability one step further byoffering our cricket powder in bulk. When you buy a product in bulk, there is less packaging which reduces plastic waste. Many plastic packaging contains harmful chemicals that can leach into water and soil, harming the environment and the food chain.

In conclusion...

At Näak, we are committed to always challenging ourselves to make products that are both good for your health and the environment. You can clickhere to see just how much greenhouse gases, water, land, and food we have conserved since the start of the company just by replacing beef protein with cricket protein. We are excited to continue paving the way for cricket- and plant- based products to achieve our mission!

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