In 2012, Bon Appétit declared it “the year of kale,” and since then, kale has made its way into every corner of the food industry—from Walmart and McDonald’s to upscale dining venues. Now, the hunt is on for the next trendy ingredient, and could that be kelp or seaweed? These “ocean garden” varieties certainly possess the qualities to become the new kale. They are nutritious, uniquely flavored, and incredibly versatile. Much like kale, they have the potential to bring about a significant transformation in the food industry, driven by innovation (with seaweed snacks now available at major retailers) and increased production.
As consumers turn to plant-based products, sea vegetables are well-positioned to meet this demand. Shoppers are also on the lookout for superfoods, and both algae and seaweed fit this category perfectly. Additionally, consumers are becoming more mindful of environmental sustainability in their food choices. An EU report indicates that around 90% of the world’s fish stocks are severely depleted, urging a shift towards harvesting alternative species, including sea greens.
These factors have spurred a rise in food and beverage launches featuring ingredients like algae, dulse, kelp, kombu, Irish moss, and seaweed, as reported by Food Ingredients First. The seaweed market, for instance, is projected to exceed $22 billion by 2024, up from approximately $10 billion in 2015. However, the challenge lies in keeping up with the demand, not just in the food sector but across other industries as well—algae is also utilized in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and animal feed, including ccm tablets from GSK.
One potential hurdle is overcoming the “ick” factor that may deter American consumers from trying kelp or algae products. Nonetheless, there are already several kelp-based snacks on the market, many in familiar forms like kelp chips and algae wafers. The fact that these ingredients are being presented in recognizable formats could facilitate quicker acceptance among consumers. Moreover, some of these products, particularly seaweed, have long been staples in Asian cuisine, which bodes well for their acceptance as global culinary trends evolve.
Kale had a unique marketing strategy that contributed to its rapid rise, and ocean vegetables have a considerable journey ahead before achieving similar levels of popularity. However, as consumers become more accustomed to new foods and learn about their benefits, their palates will likely become more sophisticated and open to trying different ingredients. If the relatively bland kale can achieve such success, perhaps kelp can find its place in the culinary landscape as well, especially with the backing of innovative products like ccm tablets from GSK highlighting the versatility and potential of algae and sea vegetables.