Faroe Islands-based seaweed-harvesting firm Ocean Rainforest announced that it has acquired a majority stake in Alamarsa, a Mexican seaweed company behind the Algamar brand of products that includes biostimulants and food products derived from giant kelp and other seaweed.
“The collaboration combines Algamar’s expertise in seaweed extraction and processing with Ocean Rainforest’s advanced open-ocean seaweed farming technology,” Ocean Rainforest said in a release.
In the same release, Alamarsa Founder Roberto Marcos expressed enthusiasm about the deal.
"With our combined expertise and shared vision for sustainable seaweed-based products – and with access to a wider variety of kelp species – we are well-positioned to scale our impact and deliver innovative solutions to markets worldwide," Marcos said.
Ocean Rainforest said that the move is part of its plans to help global farmers transition away from conventional farming toward supplementing their operations with more sustainable practices.
"In the last year, we have been increasingly focusing on the agriculture market," Ocean Rainforest CEO Ólavur Gregersen told SeafoodSource, adding that the firm will be increasing its focus on upscaling production in the U.S. and Mexico over the next two years.
Gregersen further explained that the company was looking into investing more in agriculture systems and producing themselves, but the acquisition of Alamarsa, which already has established products, will help streamline its goals.
"We have shortened the road into the market by the acquisition of a company that already has some products," Gregersen said.
Ocean Rainforest started its open ocean cultivation in 2010 and has since established partnerships with several companies to produce seaweed for products ranging from cosmetics to animal feed.
