AKUA Kelp Jerky – USA

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Helping you “Kelp Out!”

In 2014, Gastropod, the podcast about food history and science aired an episode called “Kale of the Sea,”. “We’ve found it,” they exclaimed, “it’s called Kelp”.

Kelp are large brown algae that grow underwater in dense forest like groupings. They are found in shallow waters, closer to the shore and act as a source of food and shelter for fish and marine mammal species. A nutrient rich and environment-friendly seaweed, kelp has made its way to our food conversations. But as NPR’s Salt points out, there are still some infrastructural issues to address when it comes to large scale production and processing, along with developing an understanding of what the consumer wants. How about some Kelp Jerky?, asks Courtney Boyd Myers founder of AKUA, a sustainable food company making products from ocean sea greens. Over email, Boyd Myers talked about her AKUA journey, and creating kelp-based products that people love to indulge in.

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Beginnings

Courtney Boyd Myers founded AKUA in January 2017, and they launched their first product, a Kelp Jerky, in April this year. She also works as an advisor for Greenwave, a non-profit organisation working towards sustainable seafood. Apart from sea greens, Boyd Myers is revolutionising our favourite comfort food, ice cream. She is an investor and partner at Unframed Ice Cream, South Africa, that scoops out vegan, plant-based ice creams.

“We launched AKUA to be a household name for delicious & nutritious products made with sea greens with the aim to help create a consumer market for kelp and ongoing demand for farmer’s crops,” said Boyd Myers talking about how her journey began. But why Kelp Jerky as their first product? Boyd Myers shared that the answer to that question came from asking a bigger question- how can we get more Americans to eat Kelp? “When we started our research, it was right around the time when Krave Jerky sold to Hershey for $300 million, and we thought, “YEP! Americans love Jerky! Let’s make KELP JERKY!” she said.

Going the Seaweed Way

Kelp Jerky is manufactured using Sugar Kelp, a species native to the New England seaboard where it has been grown and used commercially as a thickening and gelling agent. Boyd Myers explained that this variety of kelp serves up a chock-full of nutrients, which made it the ideal candidate for manufacturing their jerky. “Sugar kelp is overflowing with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants including Vitamins A, D, E, B1, and B2, as well as Iodine, Magnesium, Zinc, Calcium, Potassium, & Iron,” she added.

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So how does AKUA make its Kelp Jerky? Typically, sugar kelp release spores into the water, which settle down and germinate into new seaweeds. AKUA collects these spores from their hatchery and transfers them to their farm structure, which is set in the ocean. When the sugar kelp is ready for harvest, they are cut, transferred onto boats and taken to the processing facility. They are then blanched, frozen and packaged. This kelp base is mixed with other ingredients to make the jerky.

The Products

AKUA’s Kelp Jerky comes in three flavours – Sesame & Nori Sea Salt, Rosemary & Maple Barbecue, and Spicy Thai & Spirulina. Consumer response shared Boyd Myers, has been incredible. “The majority of people who are already eating healthy products love Kelp Jerky,” she said. New York Times included AKUA’s Kelp Jerky in their listicle on “Seaweed Products to Sample”. They were also covered by Refinery 29 and Forbes, among other publications.

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Kelp- The Sustainable Option

“Seaweeds filter 5-30x more carbon and nitrogen than land-based plants do from the air, working to reverse ocean acidification and combat the rising ocean temperatures currently decimating our coral reefs and other marine lives,” said Boyd Myers while talking about the sustainability angle of this entire process. She also emphasized that through kelp farming, the team has observed hundreds of species of fish and shellfish returning to coastlines. “To hang out in them!”

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Looks like instead of asking – Why Kelp Jerky?, the question we should be asking is – Why not Kelp Jerky? “Today, eating is a political act,” said Boyd Myers, “What you choose to eat and what you choose to put on your plate affects the present and the future of our planet. We’re asking you to try Kelp Jerky because not only is it healthy and delicious, it’s healthy for the planet too.”

For more information visit Akua.co.

Featured Image Courtesy: Courtney Boyd Myers