Pacific Kelp Co. September '24 NewsletterTakeaways from exciting conferences in Ketchikan! Out on the water and big trips coming up!
September 30, 2024
Hello from Ketchikan, Alaska! We have some great updates to share with you this month, but first, make sure you're signed up for our emails by clicking here!
Conferences in Ketchikan
We were fortunate to have two major industry conferences in Ketchikan this month! The first was Seagriculture USA, the leading conference for the American kelp and seaweed industry.
We had a great time connecting with farmers, processors, scientists, investors, regulators, and government officials. One key takeaway we heard repeatedly is that Alaskan farmers can grow more kelp, but they are choosing not to because they can't sell all of their product.
That’s why we're so focused on bringing our kelp processing line to Ketchikan. With the right equipment (more on that below), we will be able to efficiently dehydrate kelp and convert it into a product format already used by some of the biggest global brands—plus, it offers the added benefit of shelf stability at room temperature!
This will be the key to unlocking opportunities for Alaskan kelp farmers, enabling them to move more of their product to market. Customers and brands have significant demand for high-quality kelp, but unless it is in dehydrated form, they can’t incorporate it into their product formulations. We’re confident this will be a huge boost for the industry once we’re operational and able to process kelp for other farmers, not just around Ketchikan but throughout Southeastern Alaska.
After Seagriculture, we attended the Southeastern Conference (SEC) annual meeting in town. Not to be confused with the football conference, the SEC is the federally recognized regional economic development organization for Southeastern Alaska. The SEC ‘supports activities that promote strong economies, healthy communities, and a quality environment in Southeast Alaska.’ While not exclusively focused on kelp, the SEC is increasingly recognizing its potential, as kelp farming and processing could significantly bolster both the economy and the environment in Southeast Alaska.
Our founder, Nick Stern, was invited to present as part of a panel discussing the state of the mariculture industry in Alaska. Nick shared his views on where the industry stands today and what needs to be done to advance it. There was great discussion about how the SEC and its stakeholders can support this growing sector. His remarks were met with enthusiasm and optimism. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the SEC as we work to grow this industry!
Check out Nick with that awesome Alaskan Giant Kelp! In-between meetings we had some time to get out on the water and down to the kelp beds.
Looking Ahead:
We have a busy month of travel ahead in October. We’ll begin the month in Maine, conducting a series of kelp dehydration trials. We’ll run our Alaskan Giant Kelp through several different dehydrators to gather insights and assess how well the equipment handles our kelp before we purchase a dehydrator for Ketchikan.
Later in October, we’ll travel to Norway to participate in the deployment of kelp farms. Over the course of four days, we’ll work alongside our colleagues to deploy multiple farms and kilometers of seeded kelp lines. We’re excited to learn and observe some of the advanced techniques and technology that have been developed in Norway!
Stay tuned for more exciting updates and click here to make sure you're signed up for all of our future newsletters and announcements!
