Biddeford-based Ocean’s Balance, a company producing seaweed products and ingredients has formed a partnership with Aqua Veggies LTD of Grand Manan, New Brunswick, a large-scale supplier of seaweed. Courtesy photo
BIDDEFORD — Ocean’s Balance, a company producing seaweed products and ingredients has formed a partnership with Aqua Veggies LTD of Grand Manan, New Brunswick, a large-scale supplier of seaweed for raw food distributors, vitamin manufacturers, pet food manufacturers, and retailers. Aqua Veggies is North America’s largest supplier of Dulse, a red seaweed that grows in very few geographies in the world and offers a wide array of health and nutritional benefits, according to an Ocean’s Balance press release.
“We are honored that Aqua Veggies, a company with 25 years of sustainable seaweed experience, has chosen to join forces with us,” said Ocean’s Balance CEO Mitch Lench. “This company has made a name for itself for wild-crafted sea vegetables that are 100 percent organic, harvested by hand, and dried to preserve their dense nutrient content.” Lench said that the company offers a unique array of seaweed products, including organic dulse in whole leaf and flakes and organic superfood mixes for people and pets that are non-GMO, gluten free, tested for heavy metals, and sold in recyclable and biodegradable packaging. The partnership was completed in August with the goal of expanding product offerings while maintaining a longstanding tradition of responsible stewardship of the ocean.
The announcement of the partnership comes four months after Biddeford-based Ocean’s Balance announced the purchase of a state-of-the-art drying machine, which, according to the release, is poised to revolutionize Maine’s seaweed industry by drying and milling farmed kelp on an industrial scale.
“For twenty-five years we’ve been working to extol seaweed’s unique and extraordinary benefits not just for the health of humans and pets, but for the ecological health of the planet,” said Pam Young, co-founder of Aqua Veggies. “While we are incredibly proud to have built a successful seaweed business from the ground up, we are excited to partner with Ocean’s Balance, which has advanced milling and blending capabilities and can help us take Aqua Veggies to the next level.”
Aqua Veggies harvests organic sea vegetables by hand in the nutrient rich waters of the Bay of Fundy, an area with a tidal range up to 38 feet, the highest observed tides in the world, according to the release. The company’s organic products include Dulse, Irish Moss, Kombu, Wakame, Nori, Sea Lettuce, and Superfood from the Sea for people and pets.
“My family has been on Grand Manan for generations, and I grew up following our family tradition as a fisherman and a dulser for as long as I can remember,” said Aqua Veggies co-founder Jason Temple and Pam’s husband. “I’m proud that we have been able to create meaningful work for so many of my friends, family, and local islanders. Sustainable seaweed harvesting is an important part of our heritage and future.”
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