Atlantic Sea Farms achieve to harvest a million pounds of kelp in Maine harbors

The American company Atlantic Sea Farms has announced that the 27 partner farmers, representing nine working Maine harbors, have harvested more line grown domestic kelp than ever at just under 1 million pounds during the 2022 harvest season. “We’re thrilled and proud”, they said.

For them, this number is revolutionary because with this year’s record-breaking harvest, Atlantic Sea Farms kelp is available for even more brands across the United States to incorporate as an ingredient in their own products.

“While you may know us for our own Atlantic Sea Farms products available at your local grocery store, we’re also making this first-of-its-kind ingredient available to CPG brands and product developers in every sector. Everything from nutritional shakes to snacks to pet food now includes Atlantic Sea Farms kelp”, they assured.

Rapid innovation over the last three years

To make this possible, they have undergone rapid innovation over the last three years to create a full wholesale product line with the highest level of food safety standards, all shipping out from their SQF audited state-of-the-art facility in Maine. “From dried kelp powders to fresh-frozen, our team continues to create a product line that serves product developers in every sector.”

In their opinion, regenerative, domestic seaweed is finally being incorporated into the market at scale, and every pound drive positive impact back to working waterfront communities.

“It’s all incredibly exciting and we’re thrilled to be able to meet and grow demand on behalf of our partner farmers,” said Tom Simmons, who heads up Partner Growth on the Atlantic Sea Farms sales team. “We’re working with everyone from chefs, to smoothie brands and pet food companies, to biomaterial, personal care and ingredient extract innovators. This team is really activating all of the opportunities knocking on the door of Maine’s kelp industry.”

Harvest season may be over, but the rapid innovation happening in the market is just getting started and they are already planning for continued growth next season to support.

98% of the seaweed eaten in the US is grown overseas

Seaweed has been named a top food trend year after year, yet 98% of the seaweed eaten in the United States (US) is grown overseas. Atlantic Sea Farms is changing that by offering the first sustainable and reliable source of fresh, domestic seaweed on the market.

Kelp is not only one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, but it is also a zero input, carbon negative crop with measurable impacts on the health of our oceans and economies in the face of climate change. Seaweed is one of the fastest growing ingredients in the US because of its climate hero capabilities. “But who and where you source from matters”, they assure.

A company managed by women

This is a women-run Maine company, working with a community of partner farmers to grow and share the highest quality seaweed on the market. “Our goal is to provide new and diversified ways for fishing families to continue to work on the water in the face of climate change through regenerative seaweed aquaculture“, they say.

“Together, we are disrupting the US market by making our clean, domestic, mission-driven supply chain available to chefs and product developers nationwide”, they added.

According to them, “the best part is, our products are easy to use”. And it’s true that for the first time, superfood kelp is flash frozen right off the farm, and ready to enjoy in a number of different ways. “Our robust food safety and processing standards mean that you get the product, pack sizes, and guarantees you expect from best in class ingredients. We offer blanched, shredded, pureed, powdered, fermented, and whole leaf raw kelp products in pack sizes from ten to one thousand pounds”