Cuisine may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Duracave, but CEO Barrett Stone hopes he can change your mind. The company, beloved by survivalists and outdoor enthusiasts alike, just received government approval to expand their product line to include a new suite of emergency survival foods. However, if you’re looking for freeze dried fruit, vacuum sealed rice and beans, or packages of your favorite pasta, you’re out of luck. Offering entrees featuring raccoons, sea birds, and beetle larva, Duracave’s new emergency dinners are turning stomachs as well as heads.
Duracave has been one of the military’s largest contractors for decades, but the introduction of a civilian model of their mobile bunker system 20-years-ago, propelled the company into the public eye. One of the biggest and most successful providers of outdoor gear and technology, the Duracave brand has gained an almost rabidly loyal following.
Branded as “Complete Dinners in a Can,” Duracave canned meals are guaranteed to be shelf stable for up to 50 years. (Barrett claims that the meals will last much longer, but the government won’t allow the company to print how long it can actually last on the label.) Each meal is radiated, then fortified with vitamins and minerals to make every can a complete meal. “Three cans a day, some fresh water, and a little sunlight is all you need to make it through any disaster,” says Stone. Despite the nutritional claims and impressive expiration date, many have questioned the company’s choice of less-than-mouth-watering ingredients. They say the meals are potentially dangerous, and more about being sensational than healthy, a claim that Stone vehemently denies.
“What people don’t understand is that when it all goes to hell, your options are limited. It doesn’t matter if it’s: a nuclear or biological attack, the government unleashing a neutron bomb, a comet strike, or all this veil travel finally destabilizing the Earth’s orbit, and leading to the next ice age, whatever the cause of those final days, the first things to go are the large animals. We tailored these products with that in mind.
We spent many months with some of the finest cooks from around the world to make sure each can tastes almost as good as freedom itself. Some of my favorite meals include: Gull and Gravy, Squirrel Loaf, and Fred’s Famous Raccoon Noodles. We have a number of snack items too like Roach Butter in smooth and extra crunchy styles, and hog cheese. We even have a drink made from mealworms called Grub Juice, for all those smoothie lovers out there.
Nobody can store enough food for a lifetime, and eventually you’ll need to supplement your stores with the real thing. We purposely chose animals that we believe survivors could find in the wild after a cataclysm. Not only will you get all the nutrition you need in each can, you’ll be developing a taste for the kinds of things you’re likely to find living in the rubble. It’s similar to the way you’d transition a pet into a new food a little at a time. The last thing you want in a survival situation is for your stomach to be too weak or irritable to take in the foods you need.”
Even with Mr. Stone’s assurances, not everyone is convinced of the palatability or nutritional benefits of raccoon noodles. Some even say that the foods are potentially dangerous. Food safety activist, and Department of Health Senior Inspector Betsy Kaukau says that despite having permission from the federal government to sell the products, the State is looking into possible ways to ban the canned meals across the islands.
“Duracave has been less than forthcoming about their suppliers, and the legality of using some of the animals in their products. For instance, many types of gulls are protected, and we want to know where they are getting the birds for their repulsive marketing campaign,” says Kaukau. She adds, “Let’s be honest. This is about stirring up controversy, pure and simple. Nobody is going to eat a spread made from cockroaches on their toast in the morning, unless it’s on a dare. The State of Hawaii wants no part of this potentially dangerous publicity stunt.”
Despite Kaukau’s statements, Barrett says the company is 100% serious about the unusual meals. He says,
“I understand the reaction in some people, but we are committed to provide our customers with the best options and tools available in a crisis situation. Survival is a dirty business, and you may find yourself forced to do and eat things that you wouldn’t normally. After it all comes crashing down, we can’t tell you what to do when you find a survivor with a potentially contagious disease, or when strangers show up and ask to share your water. What we can do is give you a taste for the foods you’re likely to find, and provide a good head start to your survival journey. At Duracave we don’t want you to just survive. We want you to thrive!”
