HERE is an idea to make you squirm – bugs for breakfast.

A trio of entrepreneurial undergraduates are suggesting you do just and are on a mission to persuade people the merits of gobbling grasshoppers.

Bug Boys is a new start-up and part of the first cohort to enter Entrepreneurial Spark, a business incubator in Brighton.

Their idea is based on the growing consensus that protein-rich insects could become a sustainable global food source in the future.

As well as being cheap and sustainable, bugs are also becoming trendy among foodies, with Mexican street food restaurant Wahaca recently putting crickets on the menu.

The idea is not just for human consumption, and Bug Boys also want to make animal feed which would be more environmentally friendly than the likes of soya.

According to the founders, insects are relatively easy and cheap to cultivate and Bug Boys’ will be grown in Sussex.

The main challenge is getting people to overcome their squeamishness.

Daniel Stott, a third year geology student at the University of Brighton, explained: “Obviously eating the whole insect would be a bit hard.

“What we want to do is grind them into a paste and put them into things like bread, so it becomes more of a substance.

“Generally insects have quite a meaty flavour. Meal worms in particular taste a lot like animal.”

The students, who also include Ben Le Brocq and Alex Drewit, plan to bring in chefs to develop tasty products and hope to have snacks for sale within three to four months.

Bug Boys will tap into the same market is people who also buy organic, gluten-free market and eco-conscious foods.

Daniel added: “By 2050 there will be £9 billion people in the world so we need to look at protein sources other than animals which emit huge amounts of greenhouse gases.

“With insects you can grow them in deprived areas such as in Africa.”

Earlier this month the Bug Boys were part of an intake of 80 entrepreneurs into Entrepreneurial Spark's Brighton ‘hatchery’ in NatWest’s Preston Park offices.

Fiona Anderson, NatWest's Entrepreneurial Development Manager, who will be managing the hub in Brighton, said: “You don’t have to spend long in the city to get a sense of the high level of entrepreneurialism in Brighton. This area has long been a breeding ground for entrepreneurs and it’s been exciting to see the varied nature of the businesses applying for the programme, which reflects the diversity and vibrancy that Brighton is famous for.

“Since we announced the opening of the Brighton hub, there has been a huge influx of applications for the programme. I think the biggest challenge for the Brighton Entrepreneurial Spark team was only being able to choose 80 businesses for the initial intake.”