Pieminister has unveiled its latest addition to its range - the Hopper, which will be available from the start of British Pie Week (6-12 March).

The Hopper is a Mexican-inspired cricket and black bean pie, cooked in a rich tomato, chipotle chilli and sour cream sauce with fresh lime and coriander.

Sustainability experts say that insects contain high amounts of protein and are a low-fat alternative to eating other meats. The experts predict that insects could become a regular feature on western menus in the future, due to them being a green and economical way to preserve the environment.

Jon Simon, co-founder and MD for Pieminister, said that 70% of the world’s population see eating insects as the norm, yet many Brits would run a mile at the idea.

“As a food business, it’s important we look ahead and explore how we can keep on creating great pies in a sustainable and responsible way. British Pie Week is a chance for us to experiment with this future-food and put Britain’s taste buds to the test,” said Simon.

“Hopefully this can demonstrate that a cricket pie can taste really good. So, give The Hopper a go this British Pie Week and see what you think. We think it’s delicious and that you’ll be genuinely surprised - we’re all cricket converts here at Pieminister.”

The crickets for the Hopper were supplied by Crunchy Critters, the UK’s leading supplier of edible insects.

Crunchy Critters sources its insects from ethical suppliers and the crickets used for the limited-edition pie have been farm-raised within Europe.