We believe it's the best seaweed in the world. And we're not alone.
What makes Lofoten seaweed special?
The sea
Far in the north, away from dense cities and large scale industry, the sea is cold - and clean. Here the last warmth of the Gulf Stream meets nitrate-dense Arctic water, creating one of the richest ecosystems in the world.
The tides
Northern Norway has the world's strongest tidal streams, keeping the seaweed in constant motion, even on calm days. It makes the seaweed grow firmer and stronger than regular seas.
The midnight sun
Few, if any, locations on earth harvest seaweed growing in months-long daylight. Just when it needs it the most, our seaweed is bathed in 24/7 sun, kicking of a harvest like nowhere else.
Our methods
Our seaweed is harvested by hand - both to ensure we don't damage the population, and to guarantee it's perfectly in season and of top quality. We harvest 100% sustainably, and never take more than the ocean can give.
The result is seaweed used by some of the best chefs on the planet - but that was never our main goal. We want every kitchen to have access to the world's best seaweed, and for it to be a natural part of your life. A true seaweed revolution.
Let's do a deep dive
Cold, clear, and full of life
Our seaweed is wild, and grows free in the clean seas above the Arctic Circle. We think that's a large part of the story.
By latitude alone, not much should grow up here. But this is where the last warmth of the Gulf Stream meets cold, nitrate-rich Arctic water, always churning and pulling nutrients up from the deep. Our seaweed stores this nitrogen during the long, dark months, and wakes up to an amazing growth season under the midnight sun.
The clean and cold waters here haven't just resulted in the largest cod stock in the world - but given life to what might very well be the world's greatest tasting seaweed.
Never still, even on calm days
Our seaweed comes from Nappstraumen - the fourth strongest tidal current in the world, flowing through the strait that separates Flakstadøya and Vestvågøya. With every turn of the tide, water is forced back and forth, keeping the seaweed in constant motion.
Seaweed growing in moving water is fed constantly: the flow sweeps away the nutrient-poor film that settles around a blade in still water - and the blade has to hold on against the current. As a result, it grows firmer and stronger than seaweed in regular seas.
Two months without a sunset
From late May to mid-July, the sun never sets here in Lofoten. After a long Arctic winter, the kelp forests have something extraordinary waiting for them: sunlight around the clock.
Through the dark months the seaweed stores nitrogen from our nutrient-rich waters. When the light returns, that is what fuels its fastest growth of the year — and under the midnight sun, the kelp turns all that light into sugars.
This is also when we’re out harvesting, gathering seaweed in the extraordinary light of an Arctic summer. Even after years in the water, there is something strange and wonderful about working beneath a sun that never goes down.
Cut by hand, in person
We believe in taking care of the ocean that takes care of us. We don't trawl or harvest industrially - we work sustainably, by hand, cutting each leaf in ways that let it grow back and don't cause undue damage.
We keep track of every harvest, rotating our sites and taking only what the ocean can spare. We have seen the dangers of over-fishing first hand, and know how important that is.
And there's another benefit to doing things by hand: better seaweed! We only harvest healthy, happy leaves at the perfect stage of maturity.
Dried and milled right here
Once we've brought our seaweed ashore, the next step is drying it to preserve its natural flavour and nutrients. From there, we mill, blend and pack it into the products you know and love.
Much like our harvesting, most of this work is small scale and done by hand. It takes a little more time, but it means we can keep a close eye on quality throughout the process.
And that's how seaweed from Lofoten finds it's way into your kitchen.
It's for professional chefs...
Some of the most celebrated kitchens in the world cook with our seaweed, several three-Michelin-star restaurants among them. Chefs at that level can get their seaweed from anywhere - so we're very proud they choose us.
You can see some (but not all) of our customers here.
Are you a professional chef and interested in seaweed? Learn more here.
... AND for everyone else
We didn't start harvesting just for restaurants or avant-garde foodies. Seaweed belongs in each and every kitchen, and our goal is to help put it there.
The seaweed we sell online is the same seaweed we send to Michelin star restaurants - from the same harvests, and foraged with the same care. We can ship it to you no matter where in the world you are.
Find it here
Ready to learn more?
Take a look at the types of seaweed we harvest to learn the unique characteristics of each - or dive into our blog to learn more about everything from Lofoten traditions to what the old Vikings used seaweed for!