A partnership between academics and industry has led to the development of a unique and high-value seaweed supplement that will soon launch in the lucrative health supplement market in the United States.
University of Waikato Senior Research Fellow Dr Christopher Glasson and Premium Seas Founder and CEO Lucas Evans have developed an approach to extracting the carbohydrate molecule fucoidan from seaweed and processing it into a high-value nutritional supplement that is growing in popularity across the globe.
Mr Evans says the product is extracted from Japanese seaweed variety mozuku, which contains the highest levels of fucoidan found in seaweed and makes it a premium source for the product.
“This is the only mozuku fucoidan of its kind being produced at scale outside of Japan and available to the global market. All mozuku fucoidan produced in Japan stays within its domestic market, so we have identified a real opportunity to bring this high-value and nutrient-rich product to the world,” he says.
In recognition of the groundbreaking innovation of this product, Premium Seas’ mozuku fucoidan won the Excellence in Innovation category of the 2Degrees Auckland Business Awards on 4 December.
In August 2024, Premium Seas launched its one-of-a-kind fucoidan extract as a key ingredient in the Purify Me product Pure Flow, a New Zealand-made nutritional supplement designed to care for the heart, strengthen immunity, reduce inflammation and improve overall health. Initial market testing is underway within New Zealand with the next phase seeing its international launch into the United States in early 2025.
Mr Evans says the product’s strong initial sales traction and positive feedback from customers has led to the collaborative team now focusing on the implementation of a comprehensive marketing effort to support the international launch.
Premium Seas CEO Lucas Evans
Mr Evans says the partnership with the University of Waikato has been “invaluable” in helping his business to develop the product to a stage that it is now ready to be exported internationally.
“As an emerging business, Premium Seas has needed to develop its products, processes, and technical expertise from scratch. Our partnership with the University introduced its technical expertise and resources to us which we otherwise would not have been able to access without significant capital injection,” says Mr Evans.
“Our partnership is a glowing example of the meaningful support that universities can provide businesses like ours when working through the challenges of technical product development activities.”
Dr Glasson working in the lab on fucoidan extracts.
Dr Glasson, a specialist in marine science and aquaculture, provided technical product development support to Premiums Seas identifying a refined extraction process for the fucoidan and providing expert guidance during commercial scale equipment trials for extraction and drying of the fucoidan extractions. This technical expertise led to improvements to the product quality and yield of the fucoidan.
“It is extremely rewarding to see a novel New Zealand natural product go from a benchtop concept to market. The positive outcome is a testament to the hard yards put in by Premium Seas. It is great to have had the opportunity to work with such an awesome team of people. This includes the expert staff at The FoodBowl, where the successful scale up was achieved,” says Dr Glasson.
Other partners in the product’s development include Callaghan Innovation, Ferrier Research Institute and the New Zealand Food Innovation Network, which all contributed expertise throughout the process including refining the extraction process and completing product characterisation and analysis. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise worked closely with Premium Seas to develop its international market opportunities.
Premium Seas is also negotiating the sale of its fucoidan extract to large business partners in both Japan and China and exploring other product blends featuring this powerful and popular nutritional supplement.
About fucoidan as a health supplement
The marine extract fucoidan is a hero for the cardiovascular system, boasting anticoagulant and antithrombotic properties that may reduce the risk of blood clots, alongside anti-inflammatory action, which is essential for maintaining healthy blood vessels. Fucoidan has been shown to modulate the immune system, potentially enhancing its response to pathogens and promoting overall immune health.
