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Wick seaweed harvester to star in Inside the Factory

Shore has been harvesting and drying seaweed along Scottish coastline since 2016

Cherry Healey harvesting Scottish seaweed with Shore co-founder Peter Elbourne. Shore.
Cherry Healey harvesting Scottish seaweed with Shore co-founder Peter Elbourne. Image: Intelligent Profile

Cherry Healey from BBC 2’s Inside the Factory programme has visited Wick-based seaweed harvester Shore as part of a vegan special to air tomorrow and Saturday.

Ms Healey worked with Shore’s Peter Elbourne and a team of local harvesters to collect and learn about different types of seaweed in the programme, which explores the different usages for it in food manufacture.

The show specifically looks at how seaweed is used as casings for vegan sausages.

Seaweed being cut
Seaweed harvesting in Wick. Image: Intelligent Profile

Ms Healey also cooked up some seafood dishes using seaweed with Jim Cowie, head chef and co-owner of The Captain’s Galley in Scrabster.

Shore has been harvesting and drying seaweed along the Scottish coastline since 2016, turning the umami-rich superfood into its all-natural super grain chips.

The business now supplies companies throughout the UK and beyond.

Shore’s ethos revolves around the nature of sustainable seaweed, while providing employment for its local rural communities.

Strong Wick tides good for seaweed growth

Seaweed grows with zero need for land, fresh water or fertiliser, while it also absorbs oceanic CO2.

Shore’s 15-strong team works year-round in all weathers to hand harvest seaweed from the rugged, isolated shorelines near Wick, where strong tides provide good conditions and vital nutrients for seaweed to grow.

In 2018 the company was the first seaweed firm in Scotland to put a farm into the sea, focusing on species that are in high demand but more difficult to harvest from the wild.

Waves splashing near seaweed harvesters
Shore’s ream works year-round. Image: Intelligent Profile

In the factory, the seaweed is sorted, washed and then dried at low temperature to preserve nutrients before being milled to a range of sizes and stored for year-round supply.

Last year the team harvested more than 83 tons across 10 different species.

Shore products include chips, ramen broth and pesto which are made with the harvested seaweed as an ingredient.

Brand grew by 72% in 2022

The chips, which launched in 2020, are now stocked in Holland and Barrett, Booths, Sainsburys, the Co-op, Selfridges, as well as being exported to the US, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Last year the Shore brand grew by 72% and was one of the fastest selling healthier crisp products in stores, tapping into a seaweed snack market worth more than £4 million.

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