Ocean-cultivated seaweed is pegged as a “climate-positive” crop with various uses, requiring only the sea and sunlight to grow. Tapping into this resource, Canada-based Modern Plant-based Foods’ subsidiary Modern Seafood is entering into an agreement with Cascadia Seaweed to develop and create a variety of plant-based proprietary recipes using cultivated sugar kelp.

“Changing to a plant-based diet ranks high on the list of solutions for addressing climate change and Cascadia’s ocean cultivated seaweed requires no freshwater, fertilizers, pesticides or arable land to grow,” comments Tara Haddad, founder of Modern Plant-based Foods.

“Cascadia recently made a strategic shift to focus on food production and consumer packaged goods and we are extremely proud that they tapped Modern Meat to partner with them on the creation of three product lines, making good use of a plentiful and local natural resource.”

Production is expected to begin in Spring 2022.

Alt-meat from sugar kelp
The partnership’s R&D phase is underway, with initial products to include a Beach Burger, Crab Cake, Fish Cake and Chorizo Breakfast Sausage Patty incorporating ocean-grown sugar kelp.

These new products will be marketed under Cascadia Seaweed’s consumer packaged goods food brand Kove Ocean Foods.

Modern Plant-based Foods already offers a portfolio of plant-based products, including meat and dairy-free alternatives, soups and vegan snacks. All of these offerings are free from soy, gluten, nuts and GMOs.

The company’s products are available at selec restaurants and retailers across Canada, including its own Modern Wellness Bars located in Vancouver.

“Our vision aligns perfectly with Modern Meat’s mission to change the way food is produced and consumed for the benefit of animals, the protection of our environment, and the health of our people,” remarks Desiree Dupuis, VP of sales and marketing at Cascadia Seaweed.

“Shared Planet” was recently crowned as Innova Market Insights’ Top Trend for 2022. Analysis from the market researcher has found that consumers now rank planetary health as their number one concern, overtaking personal health, which has been the top priority in recent years.

Sourcing from the sea
The World Bank forecasts that seaweed farming has the potential of adding 10% to the world’s supply of food. This highly nutritious crop can help contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger, which addresses not only food security but nutrition and sustainable agriculture.

Seaweed has a long history as a food source across various parts of the world. Today, its industry applications are varied. For instance, earlier this year Cargill unveiled its first seaweed powder offering – WavePure ADG 8250 – developed to accentuate smooth and creamy textures in dairy, while offering gelling and thickening properties. 

Acknowledging the maritime crop’s potential, India’s government has already pledged INR ₹6,400,000,000 (US$87 million) to develop its local seaweed economy.