SeaGrown
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food Beauty products Bioplastics (future) |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founders | Wave Crookes Laura Robinson |
| Headquarters | Scarborough, North Yorkshire , England |
Number of locations | 1 |
| Website | Official website |
SeaGrown is a seaweed farming and processing company based in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It was established in 2018 and in 2019, it was given a grant to be able to grow its own seaweed in a specific area off the coast of Scarborough. It is England's first commercial seaweed hatchery.
The company intends to use the harvested seaweed in the bio-plastics industry in the future.
History
SeaGrown was formed in 2018 by Wave Crookes and Laura Robinson; Crookes was previously a diver in the Royal Navy and was involved in other maritime exploits, and Robinson, who is a marine biologist.[1][2] Initially, the farming of seaweed was literally the two of them cutting seaweed at low tide in and around Scarborough.[3]
At the outset, the company was just the two of them and the seaweed was processed into use as a foodstuff, for pets, bath products and restaurants.[2] The expansion plans, coupled with grants of £500,000 from the Coastal Communities Fund and £25,000 from the Business Enterprise Fund, hope to see the company expand to nine and later 23 employees with the seaweed being used in the bio-plastic and bio-textile industries.[4]
The company have acquired a 25 acres (10 ha) site, 3 miles (4.8 km)[note 1] out into the North Sea off the coast of Scarborough.[6] The hatchery will have buoys and markers with sunken lines onto which the seaweed will grow.[7] The hatchery area is well away from shipping lanes and is England's first commercial hatchery for seaweed.[8]
The company have a processing plant located in the town of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, England.[9] The seaweed is loaded onto land at Scarborough harbour.
Notes
References
- ^ "Council backs new seaweed farm plan". York Press. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ a b Fox, Alexa (10 October 2019). "North Sea is home to England's first seaweed farm". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ "SeaGrown's Yorkshire Seaweed Farm | Living North". www.livingnorth.com. August 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ Ridler, James (7 October 2019). "Seaweed processor secures £25k loan". Food Manufacture. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ Farrell, Stephen (4 October 2019). "Seaweed company secures BEF funding". Insider Media Ltd. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ "Council agrees to seaweed farm grant". BBC News. 18 June 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ Gavaghan, Carl (18 July 2019). "Council backs England's first seaweed farm off Scarborough coastline". The Scarborough News. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ "James Brokenshire announces over £36 million for the Great British Coast". GOV.UK. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ Farrell, Steven (20 September 2019). "Industrial estate fully let following seaweed company deal". Insider Media Ltd. Retrieved 12 October 2019.