Seaweed and kelp production is a growing industry.

The market size will grow from $13.3 billion in 2019 to $23 in 2027. But getting this product to the market is still a challenge.

Food processors, caterers, restaurants and specialty and health food retailers have showed a greater interest in sea vegetables as consumers have become aware of their health and nutritional benefits. Seaweed was listed as the number one food trend in 2021 by The Independent.

Sea vegetables are better for the environment

As the soil faces more intense stress from factory farming practices, it will be necessary to reduce some food production from the land.

Sea vegetables can grow in tanks or in the ocean and have a much smaller carbon footprint than land vegetables. They are also low waste, with the edible portion for sea purslane ranging from 55 per cent, 72 per cent for the sea asparagus and 75 per cent for saltwort.

Recent studies have also shown that adding red seaweed to cow feed could cut bovine flatulence and cut cows’ methane production by up to 98 per cent.

They are more nutritious than land vegetables

Sea vegetables contains more nutrients than any food on the planet. 

Sea vegetables are packed with protein, iodine, fiber and vitamins A, B, C and E in amounts that are 10 to 20 times higher than land vegetables.

It tastes good

Sea vegetables provide novel taste and texture opportunities for a virgin palate. They can be eaten raw in salads, sautéed, cooked or added to smoothies in much the same way as land vegetables.

While they exhibit an array of subtle flavor differences, sea vegetables typically taste like cooked greens but are more savory in flavor; sea asparagus for example has been described as a saltier version of land based asparagus. Because they contain dimethyl sulfide, sea vegetables often carry the aroma of coastal air.