Meet Lucy Arnell of Sauterelle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lucy Arnell

Hi Lucy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The most relevant and current version of my personal story is one born, like so many of us, from COVID. I was a touring guitarist before COVID, and I didn’t think there could be anything greater than that for me. When the world shut down, albeit many people were in worse situations than myself, I was in my own little personal crisis, trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life now that I couldn’t tour. The longer the pandemic dragged on, the longer it became apparent I needed to find something else to do. Growing up in NYC, I was an order-in kid. Practically every meal was eaten out, elsewhere, to-go, etc. No one cooked, no one loved to cook, and no one loved cooks. My aunt Faith was the only person who had respect for sophisticated cuisine – she would host annual parties in her east village 1br apt and fill the bathtub with ice and oysters. Those memories probably shaped my perception of food as fabulous from an early age. So, during COVID, I learned to cook through trial and error, and I became obsessed with the feeling of being in control for once in my life of what was going into my body. The next obvious choice seemed like culinary school, and I graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education with a degree in culinary arts and management, and headed off to work for Jean-Georges in New York. My time in school and in the kitchen educated me about two main things: French culinary techniques and food waste. I was and remain fascinated by their intersection. Out of my fascination of both was born Sauterelle – the first-ever insect-derived broth. Sauterelle is just the french word for grasshopper, and that’s what we call it – Sauterelle protein. Sauterelle is an incredible thing, because it provides superior nutrition and leaves a fraction of the ecological footprint. It has the potential to significantly reduce our carbon emissions from the food sector if people can include it in their diet. There can be push back from people who feel that insect protein pioneers want people to REPLACE their favorite, loved foods with insect protein – and with us, that’s just not the case at all – we want you to ADD it to those dishes you love, eat it alongside other proteins and comforts that you regularly enjoy. I am passionate about teaching people about the benefits of eating Sauterelle, how delicious insect protein can be, and how to make it make sense in your home and make your normal routine even easier.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m up against three main things: the first is the general stigma in the West about eating insects. Many people don’t realize that 80% of the world eats many, many different kinds of insects. There is an education factor I focus a lot on sharing because it really is the amazing scientific data behind the nutritional value and sustainability advantage of insect protein that’s the hook. There was once a time when lobsters were thought of as disgusting and cheap. Perception is everything, and we believe that using welcoming, fun art to share incredible, mind blowing data is the best way to connect with people and bring them into our world.

Another thing I’m up against is being branded by the workforce as “female.” The highest honor one could achieve in business is to be seen as a person, for your mind and your thoughts alone. As a startup CPG founder, I’ve just begun walking that path with that future goal in mind. With data that suggests only 1.8% of VC funding goes towards women, it can feel disheartening. However information like that motivates me to push harder, to work harder, to smash the glass, because I know it’s silly. Why differentiate? It’s just silly for a person to think that way. So, I’m always up against heavy politics far beyond my control. And it’s my job to navigate that to the best of my abilities to make it work for Sauterelle.

The final thing I’m up against is my own anxiety. I’ve suffered from anxiety since I was a young child, and there are many times when the feelings begin to clash with my motivation to work. It can be difficult to overcome moments like that, but after many years, I’ve learned which tools I can reach for to help me push through those moments – luckily i do find a lot of distraction within the work itself, zoning out into Canva or what have you to create graphic content, and if I work long enough, I will forget the feelings that came to distract. My method isn’t the prettiest, and it doesn’t work all the time, but every day I try to understand myself better and to show up a better, more refined version of the person I was yesterday. I struggle with large, existential feelings of dread, and Sauterelle pulls me into the moment and reminds me that I am right here, and it’s all okay.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sauterelle ?
Sauterelle is the first-ever insect-derived broth, made from sustainable grasshopper protein. Our biodegradable, compostable sachets brew like tea in 10 minutes. When you sip our nutrient-rich, silky broth, you just feel better. You feel like you’re getting all the good stuff, and like you’re doing something good for the planet. We are proud to serve a product that is not only so good for the planet, but is also so good for you. We are an official exhibitor at this year’s FounderMade Innovation show in Los Angeles on November 7, and we are beyond thrilled to show the world how delicious, nutritious, sustainable and easy Sauterelle is.

Sauterelle is currently available in two flavors, one lemony and comforting, other savory and classically seasoned. Both slightly reminiscent of a classic broth, but with a delicate, nutty, earthy undertones belonging to the natural taste of the Sauterelle. You can buy it on our website www.eatsauterelle.com and on Amazon.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
The book “Brodo” by Marco Canora is my bible. This is the man who repositioned his broth as a beverage, and unlocked a whole new world within the hearts and minds of Americans – an absolute genius. As I try to unlock a new world within people’s hearts and minds, I look to him for inspiration and leadership.

“Edible Insects” by Gina Louise Hunter is an amazing resource that I found to be very relatable as Gina Louise Hunter is a chef. Her strong ethics are reflected in her writing, and she raises many valid cases about the way we conceive of and discuss insects in the west. I didn’t know a lot of cultural nuances until I read her book.

Harrington Street by Jerry Garcia. It’s the most beautiful and bizzare autobiography you will ever read. It’s personal and raw. I read it often to recenter myself. It’s not much more than a children’s picture book, but if you know, then it’s so much more. If you know, it’s everything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.eatsauterelle.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatsauterelle
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatsauterelle/
• Twitter: https://x.com/EatSauterelle
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1RmEUP8X0g
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatsauterelle

Image Credits
For the photo of me in the red jacket – Tess Elizabeth