Seaweed Highlights
European Seaweed 2026 kicks off at Gastvrij Rotterdam
02/06/2026 - European Seaweed 2026 will take its first step inside the food industry at Gastvrij Rotterdam, taking place from 21–23 September 2026 at Rotterdam Ahoy. Formerly known as North Sea Seaweed, European Seaweed 2026 marks a new approach: instead of bringing the sector together at a standalone event, we are showing up where markets already meet. Gastvrij Rotterdam offers exactly that setting. As a leading trade fair for gastronomy and hospitality professionals, it brings together chefs, restaurant owners, F&B managers, hospitality entrepreneurs, buyers, wholesalers, foodservice operators and other decision-makers shaping what ends up on the plate.
Showcase: Seaweedland and Rungis bring Dutch land cultivated seaweed to chefs
02/06/2026 - How do you bring seaweed from a promising sustainable ingredient to something chefs can use every day? For Seaweedland and Rungis, the answer lies in quality, consistency and access. Through a new partnership, Seaweedland’s fresh land cultivated seaweed is now available through Rungis, one of the leading suppliers of premium fruit and vegetables to restaurants and food professionals in the Netherlands. The collaboration makes two Dutch grown seaweed varieties, sea lettuce and dulse, available to chefs year round.
Use of colourings in seaweed salads: legal requirements and implications
02/06/2026 - Following recent communication from the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, it has become clear that the use of certain colourings in seaweed salads is not in line with current legislation. As this topic is governed by European regulation, the implications extend beyond a single country and are relevant for producers and processors across the European seaweed sector.
Building the missing link between seaweed farming and biomaterials
01/05/2026 - When SEAnnovation AS began developing its processes, the dominant view was sceptical. Extracting polymers from cultivated European seaweed was widely considered too expensive. Yields were believed to be too low, and conventional extraction often relied on harmful chemicals or high energy inputs. The team chose to challenge that assumption.
Project Engineering Intern (Seaweed / Aquaculture)
28/04/2026 - We are looking for a proactive and technically minded Project Engineering Intern to support the coordination and execution of our joint industry seaweed farming project, North Sea Farm#1. In this role, you will work closely with both the operations and research teams, contributing to the planning, organisation, and optimisation of the project. This internship offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in project engineering within an innovative and fast-growing aquaculture sector.
How Phycology Ghent is unlocking better seaweed cultivation through science
23/04/2026 - Behind every successful seaweed product lies years of research. At Phycology Ghent, the focus is not on the end product, but on understanding how seaweed actually grows, interacts with its environment and performs under different conditions. From genetics and microbiology to improving attachment in offshore farming, their work helps answer some of the most practical questions in the sector. What makes one strain grow faster How to reduce losses in early cultivation stages Which species fit which applications This is the science that enables the industry to scale.
NEAP: A fresh wave of Flavour
20/04/2026 - What if seaweed is not the problem, but the way we use it is? For many, it starts and ends with sushi or a niche snack. But what if that is exactly what is holding the sector back? Neap Seaweed is taking a different route. From a small farm in the Veerse Meer, they are building something that feels closer to a flavour house than a traditional seaweed company. Think fermented sauces used by Michelin star chefs. Seaweed sodas and seltzers for a new generation. Even spirits that challenge what seaweed can be.
Neptune Group : Building a Seaweed Industry in Brittany, from Coast to Consumer
16/04/2026 - Seaweed is a staple in Japanese cuisine, but for many Europeans it still feels unfamiliar. Yet along the coast of Brittany, an extraordinary variety of seaweed grows naturally, deeply rooted in local ecosystems and traditions. Neptune Elements was created to bring this resource into everyday life.
Oceans of Energy and their role in the AMMON consortium
02/04/2026 - In a recent conversation with Brigitte Vlaswinkel, it became clear how Oceans of Energy brings a unique perspective to the project: one grounded in real offshore experience. As one of the few partners who have actively monitored operational systems at sea, the team contributes practical knowledge gained from years of deploying and maintaining offshore solar installations in the North Sea. Since 2019, their systems have been exposed to storms, currents, and the day-to-day complexity of offshore operations.
The Seaweed Hotel Room arrives in The Hague
02/04/2026 - Following its debut at North Sea Seaweed 2025 on board the SS Rotterdam, the Seaweed Hotel Room is getting a second life. From March to May, the installation will be on display at the Rabobank regional head office office in The Hague.