Seaweed innovator appeals for growth funds
There’s exactly one week left on Phycohealth’s capital fundraising efforts on crowdfunding site, Swarmer, where the seaweed producer hopes to achieve $300k.
At this stage, they are over 70% funded, with individual shares starting from $250.
The goal of this campaign, according to the Swarmer page is simple: “We’re scaling our “sea-to-spoon” operations into the mainstream and preparing for global expansion!”
Led by Dr Pia Winberg for over 20 years, PhycoHealth has its roots on the south coast of NSW, and it’s sights set on the world. It’s about time. The global seaweed market is apparently worth over $6 billion. Pia and her team cultivate, harvest, process and produce their seaweed range from their farm in Bomaderry to their factory in Woollamia.
The Swarmer page has everything a potential investor needs to know about this campaign, including what you get for your dollars. PhycoHealth’s ambition is to grow more seaweed to make more products, everything from pasta and seasoning to fibre supplements and skincare.
Energise your diet with edible seaweed from PhycoHealth
If your seaweed intake runs to the occasional nori roll, then you definitely do not have enough of this aquatic veggie in your diet. The best way to make up for that deficiency is located at PhycoHealth, where you can buy chips, muesli, pasta, spices and other goodies loaded with the best nutrients, fibre and flavour that seaweed can muster.
Australia’s first and only food-grade seaweed company PhycoHealth is headquartered right here in Huskisson, under the guidance of its founder, Dr Pia Winberg.
PhycoHealth offers a range of food, skin care and supplement-style products which drop-in customers can buy directly at the source. The grocer Harris Farm has stocked a range since October last year, and there is an online shopping option.
Good for you, good for the environment
Seaweed is not only packed with nutrients, it also captures carbon dioxide – a major contributor to climate change – and other excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous that are generated by other industries.
Pia’s inventive approach to extracting the goodness from our watery greens will inspire anyone to add more seaweed to their diet. PhycoHealth has added seaweed to salt and other seasonings like dukkah, nuts, pasta and even corn chips, endearingly called Sea C’s.
Since up-scaling the factory from Bomaderry (where the raw product is still grown in huge tanks alongside the Manildra starch factory on the banks of the Shoalhaven River) to Husky, there are plans to develop even more incredible food products, with a felafel mix in the works as well as fermented products like kombucha. They are even looking to expand their premises again.
Phybre fibre improves your insides
A new powdered fibre product, called Phybre, is now available. Along with the seaweed, the formulation also contains fibre from green banana. PhycoHealth suggests adding the powder to your breakfast cereal, smoothies and even into your baking. Pia says that diversity of fibre in our diets is the key to healthy guy flora, and this product certainly adds uncommon fibre sources into the mix.
There’s a collaboration with chef Gary Fishwick also in the works, as a way of showing us how to use seaweed products while at the same time, experimenting and devising exciting new paths for edible seaweed.
Pia and her colleagues continue to research the health benefits of seaweed, on our guts and our general and mental wellbeing. They truly believe there is still masses of untapped potential in this abundant resource.
Skin care range improves your outsides
The skin care range, PhycoDerm, is another important research area for the company which is producing medical-grade seaweed ingredients for their everyday skin care formulations.
Pia herself is the subject of many great media stories, which you can see for yourself on the PhycoHealth website.
While there, don’t forget to browse the shop and pick up a few treats for your table.
Original story pubklished 20 Jan 2021
