This week's Six Questions are with SHORE, the Scottish Seaweed Company. Their highly sustainable seaweed is grown and harvested on the unique shores of Wick in the North East Highlands, and they use this tasty, local sea vegetable to infuse their snack puffs with a hint of the sea, alongside a range of exciting flavours.
Expert pickers venture out in all weathers to hand-harvest the seaweed in season, at the right time of day, in tune with the tides. As well as being a great, under-utilised Scottish-grown veg, seaweed is so special as it contains a unique source of key macro and micro nutrients, antioxidants, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals, and when added to Shore's savoury snacks it packs a moreish umami punch! We heard from Keith Paterson of SHORE, who told us a wee bit about how their mission to make these amazing sea plants more accessible got off the ground.
1.How/why and when did you start your business?
We just launched our SHORE brand end of 2018, so 2019 is shaping up to be an incredibly exciting year for our team to nurture and grow the brand. Our business itself has been going a few years longer. It took the time to find where the best, most nutritious seaweed was located and to learn how to sustainably hand harvest this rich local resource working in tune with nature.
Our company was inspired by the unique potential of seaweed to meet so many of today’s needs; from healthier eating and better nutrition from plant-based diets, to the sustainability and footprint of our food whilst helping to support our small coastal communities.
2. What advice would you give to someone starting a new business in the sector?
Having true passion and commitment are the key ingredients, starting a new business brings with it many challenges, but it is important that you stay true to your beliefs, never compromise. Having a great group of like-minded individuals is important with everyone having a clear objective.
3. What motivates you?
Knowing that we can make a real difference to individuals healthy eating choices with our nutritious Scottish seaweed products. We live and breath our world and we put so much dedication into our business that everyone is passionate about the SHORE brand.
4. How do you think the food & drinks industry could improve?
The food and drinks industry needs to become more sustainable and health conscious to meet the rapidly changing consumer preferences. The food and drinks industry have a responsibility to provide healthy and sustainable products through better consideration of ingredients and how and where they are sourced. These are key drivers in our decision-making process.
5. Is there an individual or organisation, current or in the past, who inspires you?
Well, apart from SHORE!! I have a lot of respect for Nakd who are made by Natural Foods, they are a relatively young British company founded over 10 years ago. It was founded by a group of like-minded individuals who love the outdoors. They have built an excellent brand and helped to develop the healthy food snacking category. I see similarities between ourselves and Nakd and hope that our delicious and nutritious seaweed snacks will also shape the category of the future.
6. Apart from Greencity, which other three or more people, living or deceased, would you invite to make a dinner party entertaining?
I would invite 3 incredible geniuses from the past, Charles Darwin, Leonardo DaVinci and Albert Einstein. I am not sure I would be able to have an intellectual conversation with them, but I would enjoy listening to what I believe are the 3 smartest individuals in history!
