Superpowered seaweed
Humble and ubiquitous, seaweed has been around since before the dinosaurs, and an enterprising Paeroa family has harnessed its natural benefits for the agricultural industry and beyond.
Words Catherine Sylvester
Paeroa, nestled at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula towards the northeast of the Waikato; unofficial antiques capital of the country, geographical originator of the quintessentially Kiwi soft drink L&P, and home to the whānau-founded, owned and operated Agrisea, which specialises in the manufacture and innovation of high-nutrition seaweed products.
If you’ve found yourself traversing north on State Highway 2, emerging from the Karangahake Gorge, you may have spied their factory to the left and wondered exactly what one does with seaweed aside from wrapping sushi rolls with it. The answer, it turns out, is quite a lot.
Tane and Clare Bradley are second generation kaitiaki, or caretakers, of the family business. It was Tane’s parents, Jill and Keith, who saw the potential the marine algae has to make a positive impact on the nutritional and environmental aspects of the food we grow and eat. Almost 30 years ago, a summer spent working on organic farms saw the couple witness firsthand the benefits seaweed nutrients could have on land and crops. Having complete confidence in their discovery, they packed up their family and moved from Tāmaki Makaurau to the more affordable Paeroa to realise their dream of creating organic products to support the home gardener.
“All us kids thought it was just a hobby till they called a family meeting, sold the house, and off we went,” laughs Tane. “We thought they were nuts!”
From humble beginnings selling Ocean Organics seaweed products from the store they rented and lived behind, the business flourished and in 2004 rebranded to become Agrisea, with an expanded focus to include the horticultural and farming climate of the industries the company found itself on the doorstep of.
Clare explains that the Agrisea products are biostimulants, rather than fertilisers.
“Fertilisers work by supplying nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which in overuse have a negative effect on the farm system and environment,” says the company’s CEO. “Biostimulants stimulate natural processes within the plant and soil to enhance growth, efficiency and health. It’s the plant equivalent of the difference between running a well-serviced car, rather than just putting more oil and gas in it.”
The couple met 18 years ago when Clare was forced to return to New Zealand due to a flesh-eating disease she’d picked up while living and volunteering in the Amazon rainforest. They laugh when retelling this story, which is typical of the pair’s positive view on life.
“Tane makes friends wherever he goes,” Clare explains. “That’s how we’ve started some of our latest collaborations.”
Innovation and forward-thinking are keys to the company’s success. As well as three core agricultural products, they’ve found exciting and interesting ways to incorporate seaweed into new offerings as diverse as alcoholic beverages, kombucha and bee nutrition.
“We’ve partnered with Dominion Salt to make New Zealand seaweed and salt blocks for animals, and Roa Kombucha to make a delicious new drink,” elaborates Tane. “We’ve partnered with others to make a seaweed stout, vodka and gin!”
Apiarists and bees alike have fallen in love with the company’s Bee Nutrition that provides the essential amino acids, trace elements and minerals bees need to grow and reproduce, and the company has gone global with the product.
The apple hasn’t fallen far from the proverbial tree with the Bradleys, as they’ve inherited Jill and Keith’s original care and concern for others and the environment.
“Mum always used to say, ‘We’re not here to buy baches, boats and BMWs’,” Tane says. “'We’re here to make a difference.'”
This care comes in the form of research into the potential seaweed has to remove toxins from our coastal waters. Their pilot programme has seen great success with the next step being to figure out how to replicate this on a larger scale.
They’ve also partnered with Our Land and Water to research ways the mana and mauri of soil can be respected, and how a combination of matauranga Māori farming practices and science can create positive change.
So next time you find yourself in Paeroa and spot the Agrisea hub, take a moment to marvel at the wonder and potential of this humble gift from the sea, and all the superpowers seaweed has to offer.
