OPERATION PROVE IT | Research-First Frass Production

OPERATION PROVE IT

A Research-First Approach to Premium Frass Production

Philosophy: Prove concepts with data before scaling. Document everything. Be the first. No hype, no fantasy numbers — just what we can prove.

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The Opportunity

Four concepts exist that are scientifically sound but commercially unproven. Your advantage: You're not competing in an established market. You're creating documentation that doesn't exist.

CanaFrass

Cannabis-specific insect frass. Forum hype exists, zero commercial proof. First to document real market data wins.

Dubia Frass Composition

Zero published research exists worldwide on Dubia roach frass. You document it first = proprietary advantage.

Diet-Engineered Frass

Custom VEG (high-N) and BLOOM (high P-K) formulas by controlling what you feed the insects. Scientifically sound, unproven commercially.

Vermifrass Premium

Does worm-processing insect frass actually justify higher pricing than standard frass or vermicompost? No market data exists.

The Phases

Phase 1: Baseline

Weeks 1-4 $750 - $1,500

Objective: Document the actual composition of your frass before any optimization.

Actions

Set up minimal BSFL operation — 2-4 bins, ~50 sq ft total, standard food waste substrate. Cost: $200-400
Set up minimal Dubia operation — 2-3 totes, ~20 sq ft total, standard feed. Cost: $150-300 (including starter colony)
Collect baseline frass samples (Week 3-4) — 1 lb BSFL frass, 1 lb Dubia frass, labeled with substrate/feed used
Lab test both samples — Full panel: NPK, micronutrients, pH, moisture, C/N ratio, chitin content if available. Cost: $400-800 total

Success Criteria

You have documented NPK for YOUR Dubia frass (first in the world)
You have baseline BSFL frass data to compare against diet changes

Phase 2: Diet Engineering

Weeks 5-10 $900 - $1,750

Objective: Test if controlling insect diet changes frass output composition.

VEG Formula (High-N Target)

Soybean meal (~7% N) 40%

Alfalfa meal (~2.5% N) 30%

Food scraps (carbon source) 20%

Oyster shell flour (calcium) 10%

Cost: ~$50-75 for ingredients

BLOOM Formula (High P-K Target)

Kelp meal (high K) 40%

Bone meal (high P) 25%

Banana peel/fruit waste (K) 20%

Food scraps 10%

Epsom salt (Mg + S) 5%

Cost: ~$50-75 for ingredients

Protocol

Split BSFL bins: half on VEG diet, half on BLOOM diet
Split Dubia totes: half on VEG diet, half on BLOOM diet
Run for 3-4 weeks (full feeding cycle)
Collect frass samples from each treatment
Lab test all four samples: BSFL-VEG, BSFL-BLOOM, Dubia-VEG, Dubia-BLOOM

Lab costs: $800-1,600 (4 samples)

Success Criteria

VEG frass shows higher N than baseline
BLOOM frass shows higher P-K than baseline
If YES: Diet engineering is validated
If NO: Concept killed, save money on future marketing claims

Phase 3: Vermifrass Processing

Weeks 8-14 $800 - $1,600

Objective: Test if running frass through worms changes composition/value.

Setup

Worm bin(s), ~25-50 sq ft
Red wigglers (Eisenia fetida)
Cost: $200-400 setup

Protocol

Take baseline frass (from Phase 1 or 2)
Process through worm bins for 30 days
Collect vermifrass output
Lab test vermifrass samples:
- Vermifrass from BSFL frass
- Vermifrass from Dubia frass
- Vermifrass from 50/50 blend

Lab costs: $600-1,200 (3 samples)

Compare Against

Original insect frass (pre-worm)
Standard vermicompost (worms fed cardboard/food scraps only)

Success Criteria

Document microbial changes (if lab offers)
Document any NPK shifts
Document chitin availability changes
Create data to justify premium pricing claim

Phase 4: CanaFrass Market Test

Weeks 12-24 $200 - $500

Objective: Validate actual market demand, not forum hype.

Product Development

Package verified frass in 1 lb and 4 lb bags
Create labels with YOUR lab data (not generic claims)
Develop feeding schedule based on composition

Pricing Test

Product	Test Price	Compare To
Standard frass	$15/lb	BuildASoil $20-30/lb
VEG formula	$25/lb	Premium positioning
BLOOM formula	$25/lb	Premium positioning
Vermifrass blend	$30/lb	Highest tier

Sales Channels to Test

Arizona cannabis grower groups (Facebook, Reddit r/AZGrowersGuild)
Phoenix farmers markets (general gardeners first)
Local hydro shops (wholesale inquiry)
Craigslist/Facebook Marketplace (direct sales)

Minimum Viable Test

Produce 50 lbs of product
Attempt to sell at test prices
Track: How fast does it sell? At what price point? Who buys?

Success Criteria

Sell 25+ lbs in first 60 days at $15+/lb = Market exists
Sell 10+ lbs at $25+/lb = Premium positioning works
Can't sell at any price = Concept killed, pivot to bulk/wholesale

Phase 5: Documentation & Positioning

Ongoing

Objective: Own the data. Become the authority.

You Will Have

First documented Dubia frass composition (publish this)
Verified diet-engineering results (proprietary formulas)
Vermifrass processing data (value-add proof)
Real market test results (pricing validation)

Use This To

Create content (blog, YouTube, social) establishing authority
Approach cannabis cultivators with DATA not hype
Justify premium pricing with lab reports
Potentially partner with University of Arizona for credibility

Total Investment

Phase	Cost Range	What You Get
Phase 1: Baseline	$750 - $1,500	Setup + first lab tests
Phase 2: Diet Engineering	$900 - $1,750	Ingredient trials + lab tests
Phase 3: Vermifrass	$800 - $1,600	Worm setup + lab tests
Phase 4: Market Test	$200 - $500	Packaging + samples

Total Investment

$2,650 - $5,350

Complete validation data over 6 months

Realistic Revenue Projections

Based on validated research, not hype.

Year 1: Proof of Concept

Focus: Testing, documentation, small sales
Production: 50 sq ft BSFL + 20 sq ft Dubia + 25 sq ft worms
Revenue: $0 - $3,000 (you're proving, not scaling)
Net: -$2,000 to $0 (investment phase)

Year 2: Market Entry (If Tests Validate)

Focus: Scale what worked, kill what didn't
Production: 100 sq ft BSFL + 50 sq ft Dubia + 50 sq ft worms
Revenue: $5,000 - $12,000
Net: $2,000 - $6,000

Year 3: Established (If Market Proves Out)

Focus: Full operation with proven products
Revenue: $12,000 - $25,000
Net: $6,000 - $15,000

Reality Check

This is a side hustle that could become more, not a get-rich scheme.

Kill Criteria

Knowing when to quit is as important as knowing when to push.

Diet Engineering Fails

Lab tests show no significant NPK difference between standard and custom-fed frass. Kill the custom formula concept, sell standard frass only.

Vermifrass Isn't Different

Lab tests show no meaningful difference from standard vermicompost. Kill the premium vermifrass angle, focus on insect frass alone.

Market Doesn't Exist

Can't sell 25 lbs in 60 days at any price point. Pivot to wholesale bulk, use for personal growing, or exit.

Arizona Heat Kills Production

Summer production crashes despite mitigation efforts. Consider Dubia-only (more heat tolerant) or seasonal operation.

What This Is & Isn't

What This Is NOT

NOT a $200K/year fantasy
NOT a quit-your-job opportunity in Year 1
NOT proven until YOU prove it
NOT dependent on hype or marketing claims

What This IS

A research-first approach to a niche market
An opportunity to create data that doesn't exist
A side hustle that scales only if validated
Real numbers based on verified research

Future Integration Options

Add these AFTER core concept validates. Don't add complexity until proven.

Quail Integration

Validated: 20% feed replacement with BSFL, manure feeds BSFL bins. Separate revenue stream: $5K-15K/year potential.

Mushrooms

Proven closed loop: Higher setup cost ($2K-5K). Spent substrate feeds worms. Add in Year 2-3 if cash flow supports.

Microgreens/Herbs

Test market: Use vermifrass in growing medium. Test if "vermifrass-grown" sells better. Low startup ($500-1,000).

Next Steps

Decide: Are you in for $2,650-5,350 and 6 months of testing?
If yes: Order BSFL starter colony and Dubia starter colony
Build: Minimal bin setup (don't overbuild before validation)
Document: Photo/video everything for content later
Test: Follow the phases in order

The Goal

Prove or kill these concepts with data, not hope.