Member Article

This North East innovator is using seaweed to tackle our obesity woes

Growing up in our house, one old adage often used by my mother was the classic: ’Make sure you eat your greens’. I can’t, however, assume that she ever envisaged seaweed as one of said greens to boost our health.

Dr Craig Rose, however, is one North East innovator who certainly would.

Managing director at Seaweed & Co., Dr Rose has developed a micro-encapsulated seaweed ingredient which has the potential to tackle obesity and assist with managing blood sugar levels for people with diabetes.

The North East Business and Innovation Centre’s (BIC) Innovation Programme has supported Seaweed & Co. to expand its seaweed powders, as the business looks to reach a wider market and share the health benefits of its products.

Dr Rose said: “After working in the marine industry for over 15 years, I have found that seaweed has proven itself as economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. It has a wide range of health benefits and huge scope for growth commercially.

“We invested a lot into developing unique seaweed powders using our Patent Pending techniques and have been delighted with the return on investment to date.

“Our original powders have had great success. However, they are mainly suitable for savoury flavours and so wanted to create something new to reach a wider market such as beverages and sports nutrition which have sweeter flavours.”

The new product, ‘Seaweed&TM Protect’, is a fine seaweed powder; each individual particle is finely coated with a thin layer of plant protein. The coating protects key nutrients during digestion, allowing these nutrients to be released where you most need them.

Dr Rose is currently working with Newcastle University to advance understanding of the health and nutritional benefits of their products, to enable the company to continue to develop new, market-leading products.

He also paid tribute to the BIC’s Innovation Programme in developing the product.

Adding: “From initial contact right through to bringing our new product to market, Elizabeth Shaw from the BIC was extremely helpful. She guided us through the programme, ensuring we were eligible for funding and assisting us wherever necessary.

“If you have real innovation to explore, I would highly recommend the Innovation Programme. The team at the BIC ensure that the process is not too time consuming or daunting, providing you with the time you need to focus on the task at hand; which will hopefully help to grow your business.”

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