Andrew Wilkinson is Seafood Specialist and Chef Director of Research and Development at North Coast Seafoods.

He is a chef with a deep love for fresh ingredients and a passion for creating exciting, delicious food for people to enjoy every day. He developed this passion from a young age, working on the lobster docks in Maine and watching his mother cook traditional New England meals. Wilkinson is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and has extensive international experience, having worked in Germany and Japan. He has also served on the US Culinary Olympic Team. Throughout his career, Wilkinson has worked as a chef and partner at Skipjack's Restaurant Group and as the executive chef of the Rainbow Room in New York City. Currently, he is on a mission to promote healthy eating for children by introducing sustainable seafood options, including seaweed, to school menus. He believes that seaweed is a healthy and underutilized ingredient, and is always looking for innovative ways to incorporate it into his dishes.

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Check out ⁠⁠Inside Seaweed Newsletter⁠⁠! Just one short email per month, no spam and you can cancel at any time.

Would you like to get a super short email from me every month, with three actionable insights for your seaweed business? I will search the seaweed industry for the most important lessons, the most useful conclusions and relevant actions, condensed into a half page that I will share with you, each month. It's easy to sign up and just as easy to cancel. If you'd like to give it a try, head over to ⁠⁠insideseaweed.com ⁠⁠

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00:00 - Intro

00:18 - Chef Andrew Wilkinson's Background

00:51 - Availability of Episode on Video

01:24 - How the Host and Andrew Met

02:03 - The Role of Chefs at Kelp Conferences

03:06 - Andrew's First Encounter with Seaweed

04:13 - Andrew's Mission with North Coast Seafoods

05:20 - The Turning Point for Andrew's Kelp Journey

06:43 - Andrew's Previous Work with Non-Mainstream Ingredients

08:49 - The Plan for Kelp Development During COVID

11:09 - Making Kelp the Centre of the Plate

13:52 - The Development Process for Kelp Products

15:14 - The Importance of Making Kelp Centre of Plate

16:39 - Team Involvement in Kelp Product Development

18:10 - Lessons Learned from Product Development Phase

19:57 - Choosing the Burger as the Main Product

20:50 - The Formula for Kelp Meatballs and Burgers

22:29 - The Role of Schools in Kelp Product Adoption

24:08 - The Story Behind Choosing the Burger

25:01 - Differences in Formulas for School Products

26:29 - Challenges of Working with Schools

27:59 - Regulations Around Using Kelp in Food

30:29 - The Role of Taste, Health, and Environment in Product Success

32:12 - The Role of Chefs in Championing Seaweed

35:40 - The Importance of Storytelling in Marketing Seaweed

37:09 - Educational Collaboration in Schools

39:57 - The Impact of the Green Plate Club

42:33 - The Future of Kelp Products and Education

44:01 - The Role of Chefs in Seaweed Innovation

46:16 - The Importance of Marketing and Storytelling

49:09 - Andrew's Future Plans and Ambitions

52:08 - Potential for Other Underutilized Seaweed Species

54:43 - Closing Remarks and Invitation to Try Kelp Meatballs

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Useful Links:

Andrew Wilkinson on ⁠LinkedIn⁠

North Coast Seafoods: ⁠Website⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

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Get in touch on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, or by emailing me directly at fed@insideseaweed.com - Please send in your feedback: what do you want to hear more or less of? any suggestions? Would love to hear what you think!

Simon Davis is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of SEADLING, a seaweed biotechnology startup, that has been leading innovation in the seaweed sector in South East Asia since 2018. Simon has been active in the seaweed industry for 8 years, serves on the advisory board of UN Global Compact’s Safe Seaweed Coalition and is a passionate advocate for the pivotal role that seaweed will play as a source of new materials for a sustainable future whilst combatting carbon and restoring abundance to our oceans.

*

Check out ⁠⁠Inside Seaweed Newsletter⁠⁠! Just one short email per month, no spam and you can cancel at any time.

Would you like to get a super short email from me every month, with three actionable insights for your seaweed business? I will search the seaweed industry for the most important lessons, the most useful conclusions and relevant actions, condensed into a half page that I will share with you, each month. It's easy to sign up and just as easy to cancel. If you'd like to give it a try, head over to ⁠⁠insideseaweed.com ⁠⁠

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01:01 - Simon's Career Break and Sailing Journey

02:05 - Discovering Seaweed During Travels

03:46 - Simon's Deep Dive into the Seaweed Industry

05:08 - The State of Seaweed Farming in Southeast Asia

07:44 - Innovation Gaps in the Seaweed Industry

08:05 - Comparing Asia vs. Europe/North America

09:37 - The Scale and Potential of Seaweed Farming in Southeast Asia

10:09 - Opportunities for Innovation

11:02 - Exploring New Seaweed Species and Applications

11:56 - The Role of Local and International Stakeholders

12:57 - Bridging the Gap between East and West

14:08 - Learning from China

15:24 - The Future of Seaweed Cultivation

16:18 - The Potential of Equatorial Seaweed Farming

17:10 - Lessons from Asia

18:00 - The Importance of Diversification in Seaweed Products

19:11 - Seedling's Focus on Pet Food Ingredients

20:36 - The Role of Seaweed in Animal Feed and Biostimulants

21:22 - The Future Directions of the Seaweed Industry

22:13 - Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

23:01 - Simon's Call for Talent at Seedling

24:05 - Avoiding Past Mistakes in Seaweed Industry Development

25:06 - The Need for Diversification and Resilience

26:02 - Potential Contributions from Global Entrepreneurs

27:42 - The Challenges of Innovating in Southeast Asia

29:30 - The Importance of Expanding into more Applications

30:14 - Quality Standards and Certifications

31:18 - Seedling's Approach to Innovation

32:06 - Developing Seaweed-Based Products

33:22 - Seedling's Farming Partnerships and Supply Chain

34:06 - Research and Innovation in Tropical Seaweeds

36:16 - The Importance of Building Relationships in Asia

37:37 - Seedling's Focus on Pet Food and Biostimulants

38:58 - Seedling's Product Development and Market Expansion

40:19 - Exploring New Seaweed Species and Varieties

41:07 - The Potential of Red Seaweeds

42:05 - Opportunities in Red Seaweed Applications

43:27 - Encouraging Global Entrepreneurs to Explore Red Seaweeds

44:08 - Seedling's Call for Talent Across Various Roles

45:21 - How to Connect with Seedling

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Useful Links:

Simon Davis on LinkedIn

SEADLING: Website, LinkedIn and Email

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Get in touch on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, or by emailing me directly at fed@insideseaweed.com - Please send in your feedback: what do you want to hear more or less of? any suggestions? Would love to hear what you think!

Courtney Boyd Myers (Founder & CEO of AKUA) is an entrepreneur, environmentalist, writer, and new Mama to Romy Ocean. Prior to launching AKUA, she helped build the Summit Community, a global network of founders, creatives, and innovators. Previously, she helped market companies such as Four Sigmatic and Unframed Ice Cream. She began her career as a journalist at Forbes Magazine and The Next Web and has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. She currently serves as an advisor to GreenWave.

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Check out ⁠⁠Inside Seaweed Newsletter⁠⁠! Just one short email per month, no spam and you can cancel at any time.

Would you like to get a super short email from me every month, with three actionable insights for your seaweed business? I will search the seaweed industry for the most important lessons, the most useful conclusions and relevant actions, condensed into a half page that I will share with you, each month. It's easy to sign up and just as easy to cancel. If you'd like to give it a try, head over to ⁠⁠insideseaweed.com ⁠⁠

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2:55 Seaweed and food a one possible solution for climate change and environmental crisis

5:10 The spark and hopes behind starting a food brand, Akua.

10:30 Bringing an innovative product into the market: Akua's story and key lessons.

14:00 The Kelp Beta Burger Club: how Akua engaged with their audience and learn what they wanted.

17:05 How to build a successful food brand - advice for startups.

18:25 Does sustainability drives why consumers buy products?

21:10 Measuring positive environmental impact for a food brand.

22:15 Marketing and storytelling: how Akua's message and strategy evolved.

35:05 The risk in forcing the climate and sustainability message.

36:55 Dos, Don’ts and practical advice for entrepreneurs starting a food business.

42:00 Potential for using different seaweed species and regenerative food sources.

43:05 The importance of simplification where the seaweed supply chain is so complicated.

44:15 How our brain works around food and how to change perception.

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Useful Links:

Courtney's presentation given at Seagriculture in Portland.

Courtney Boyd Myers: LinkedIn, Website, Blog, Twitter.

Akua: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook.

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Get in touch on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, or by emailing me directly at fed@insideseaweed.com - Please send in your feedback: what do you want to hear more or less of? any suggestions? Would love to hear what you think!

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Next year Seagriculture conferences:

Seagriculture EU: 18 - 20 June 2024, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Embark on a journey that is truly one of a kind! Seagriculture EU 2024 is not just a conference, it is a unique experience – a limited edition. Join the exclusive site visit to Ocean Rainforest: It will be a full-day trip to explore their facilities, experience a scenic drive on the Faroe Islands and gain insights from captivating presentations.

Register until 1 December with Late Bird rates at ⁠www.seagriculture.eu⁠

Seagriculture USA: 11 - 12 September 2024, Ketchikan, Alaska

Alaska's suitability for seaweed cultivation lies in its clean, cold, and nutrient-rich coastal waters, along with long daylight hours during the summer, making it an ideal environment for seaweed growth. On top of that Alaska is home to some of the most breathtaking natural landscapes in the world. Visiting Alaska can be an adventure of a lifetime, offering experiences and memories that will stay with you forever.

Register until 31 December with Early Bird rates at⁠ ⁠⁠www.seagriculture-usa.com⁠

Matthew is the Founder and CEO of Macro Oceans, a startup transforming seaweed into low-carbon chemicals for use in materials, cosmetics, food, and many other applications. Matthew is an experienced technology entrepreneur, having built and sold his first company, Yield Pop, to The Climate Corporation. He has more than a decade of experience in terrestrial agriculture and was the first business hire at Inari, a gene-editing technology company, where he helped raise over $100M in venture capital funding.

*

Check out ⁠⁠Inside Seaweed Newsletter⁠⁠! Just one short email per month, no spam and you can cancel at any time.

Would you like to get a super short email from me every month, with three actionable insights for your seaweed business? I will search the seaweed industry for the most important lessons, the most useful conclusions and relevant actions, condensed into a half page that I will share with you, each month. It's easy to sign up and just as easy to cancel. If you'd like to give it a try, head over to ⁠⁠insideseaweed.com ⁠⁠

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[2:20] Matthew's ambitions and motivations at the outset of his career.

[3:55] Early career in terrestrial agriculture: Syngenta, Yield Pop, The Climate Corporation, Inari.

[7:30] Lessons in bringing technology to terrestrial agriculture.

[9:50] Main differences and similarities between land farming and ocean farming.

[13:25] Learning from other industries to innovate and solve problems in seaweed.

[14:44] The genesis of Macro Oceans and the consideration in starting the company.

[20:50] Macro Oceans business model and role in the industry.

[25:15] Product strategy, the importance of profitability and optimising unit economics.

[27:45] The role of technology in addressing some of the industry's pain point.

[32:00] The cosmetic industry as an interesting application for seaweed.

[34:00] Possible opportunities and challenges in developing nutraceuticals.

[35:10] The supply chain in the cosmetic industry, the importance of brands and storytelling.

[38:30] The trend of brands trying to simplify and "clean up" their labels.

[40:20] Adopting solutions from terrestrial agriculture that are missing in seaweed.

[43:15] Final thoughts

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Useful Links:

Matthew Perkins: LinkedIn

Macro Oceans: Website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Newsletter and email at hello@macro-oceans.com

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Get in touch on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, or by emailing me directly at fed@insideseaweed.com - Please send in your feedback: what do you want to hear more or less of? any suggestions? Would love to hear what you think!

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Seagriculture EU: 18 - 20 June 2024, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Embark on a journey that is truly one of a kind! Seagriculture EU 2024 is not just a conference, it is a unique experience – a limited edition. Join the exclusive site visit to Ocean Rainforest: It will be a full-day trip to explore their facilities, experience a scenic drive on the Faroe Islands and gain insights from captivating presentations.

Register until 1 December with Late Bird rates at ⁠www.seagriculture.eu⁠

Seagriculture USA: 11 - 12 September 2024, Ketchikan, Alaska

Alaska's suitability for seaweed cultivation lies in its clean, cold, and nutrient-rich coastal waters, along with long daylight hours during the summer, making it an ideal environment for seaweed growth. On top of that Alaska is home to some of the most breathtaking natural landscapes in the world.

Register until 31 December with Early Bird rates at⁠ ⁠⁠www.seagriculture-usa.com⁠

About Seagriculture Conference: Seaweed cultivation in Europe and the US is showing promise in terms of growth, however challenges in regulations, cost, and market viability could affect the pace of this growth in the future. The Seagriculture conferences focus on addressing those challenges in the seaweed industry, fostering collaboration among various stakeholders, and emphasizing the importance of sustainable ractices, innovation, research, and regulatory adaptability for long-term success.

Californian designer Julia Marsh is the CEO and co-founder of Sway, a venture-backed materials company which produces compostable packaging made from seaweed. Julia's work is inspired by a lifelong affection for the ocean, and the belief that designers must take part in solving the planet’s greatest challenges. Sway is on a mission to replenish the planet by supporting healthy ocean ecosystems, eliminating plastic waste, and creating a more inclusive climate movement.

*

Check out ⁠⁠Inside Seaweed Newsletter⁠⁠! Just one short email per month, no spam and you can cancel at any time. Would you like to get a super short email from me every month, with three actionable insights for your seaweed business? I will search the seaweed industry for the most important lessons, the most useful conclusions and relevant actions, condensed into a half page that I will share with you, each month. It's easy to sign up and just as easy to cancel. If you'd like to give it a try, head over to ⁠⁠insideseaweed.com ⁠⁠

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[1:05] Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize.

[7:55] Supply chain: sourcing ingredients and seaweed species.

[14:00] The price of raw seaweed biomass and materials.

[15:20] Using non-food grade biomass and benefits for farmers.

[17:00] Current and future challenges in supplying seaweed biomass and materials.

[20:40] Thoughts around the flow of information within the industry.

[24:50] Opportunities and untapped potential for entrepreneurs.

[28:35] Considering the holistic value of seaweed in developing subsidies and policies.

[31:35] Design as key factor behind Sway's success.

[32:40] Imagining a positive and exiting future and how this could be communicated.

[35:00] How those who are closest to the problem are closest to the solution.

[36:25] What will drive B2B customers to adopt bioplastic in future.

[42:05] Competitors and competitive advantage of seaweed-based bioplastic.

[43:40] Biological circularity and how it can be applied to seaweed and bioplastic.

[46:35] Partnering with small-scale seaweed farmers. *

Useful Links: Julia Marsh: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Sway: ⁠Website⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize

Macro Oceans: website

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Get in touch on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, or by emailing me directly at fed@insideseaweed.com - Please send in your feedback: what do you want to hear more or less of? any suggestions? Would love to hear what you think!

*

Next year Seagriculture conferences:

Seagriculture EU: 18 - 20 June 2024, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Embark on a journey that is truly one of a kind! Seagriculture EU 2024 is not just a conference, it is a unique experience – a limited edition. Join the exclusive site visit to Ocean Rainforest: It will be a full-day trip to explore their facilities, experience a scenic drive on the Faroe Islands and gain insights from captivating presentations.

Register until 1 December with Late Bird rates at www.seagriculture.eu

Seagriculture USA: 11 - 12 September 2024, Ketchikan, Alaska

Alaska's suitability for seaweed cultivation lies in its clean, cold, and nutrient-rich coastal waters, along with long daylight hours during the summer, making it an ideal environment for seaweed growth. On top of that Alaska is home to some of the most breathtaking natural landscapes in the world. Visiting Alaska can be an adventure of a lifetime, offering experiences and memories that will stay with you forever.

Register until 31 December with Early Bird rates at www.seagriculture-usa.com

About the Seagriculture conferences: Seaweed cultivation in Europe and the US is showing promise in terms of growth, however challenges in regulations, cost, and market viability could affect the pace of this growth in the future. The Seagriculture conferences focus on addressing those challenges in the seaweed industry, fostering collaboration among various stakeholders, and emphasizing the importance of sustainable ractices, innovation, research, and regulatory adaptability for long-term success.

Kaly is a natural capital operating platform whose mission is to scale the production of regeneratively farmed seaweed in Scotland and develop new routes to market through higher-value processing using a community-based approach.

Co-Founder of Kaly, Daniel Hillman is an experienced impact investor and entrepreneur, most recently as Director of Investments and Business Development for Waterfund, a private investment firm he helped create focused on solving global water scarcity through investments in technology and infrastructure. In this capacity, Daniel built and scaled a water desalination and distribution business in the Middle East and led venture capital investments within food and ag-tech companies in the United States. Prior to Waterfund Daniel worked at Hanson Asset Management in London, advising family offices on direct investments with a real assets focus. He also advises closely-held businesses in the UK and the US on implementing growth and M&A strategies.

*

Check out ⁠Inside Seaweed Newsletter⁠! Just one short email per month, no spam and you can cancel at any time.

Would you like to get a super short email from me every month, with three actionable insights for your seaweed business? I will search the seaweed industry for the most important lessons, the most useful conclusions and relevant actions, condensed into a half page that I will share with you, each month. It's easy to sign up and just as easy to cancel. If you'd like to give it a try, head over to ⁠insideseaweed.com ⁠

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[3:00] Expectations from Seagriculture Conference.

[4:45] The steep learning curve to join the seaweed industry.

[5:50] Bridging the gap between finance and the seaweed industry.

[8:00] How nature dictates what a sustainable growth would look like.

[9:50] Challenges and frustration worth "throwing money at".

[12:20] What Kaly is not going to do and what they will rely on partners.

[14:10] Moving from vertical integration to specialisation in a mature industry.

[17:30] Establishing a network of commercial agreements with local creel fishermen.

[23:00] Kaly's products and who is going to buy them.

[24:55] "Big Ag" getting interested about seaweed.

[26:10] Biostimulant trial set-up and what Kaly is hoping to learn.

[30:05] Nutrient credits as a way to create an extra income stream.

[36:00] Final thoughts about enthusiasm and passion in the industry.

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Useful Links:

Daniel Hillman: Linkedin

Kaly Group: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

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Get in touch on ⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Twitter⁠, or by emailing me directly at fed@insideseaweed.com - Please send in your feedback: what do you want to hear more or less of? any suggestions? Would love to hear what you think!

Special thanks to my brother Riccardo, who made this episode possible by travelling with me to Trondheim (Norway), acting as technical director and helping hugely in making sure that both live interviews went as smoothly as they did.