Forging New Paths and Finding Partners in Seaweed Exploration

ー What are your primary responsibilities as a manager at Sea Vegetable?

Sea Vegetable is a company dedicated to researching, cultivating, processing, and selling seaweed, while also introducing innovative ways to enjoy it. My role primarily involves overseeing the sales team, and I have two main responsibilities.

The first is to create opportunities for people to experience the appeal of seaweed firsthand. This includes organizing tasting events and proposing our products to potential partners. We also participate in food exhibitions tailored for professional use, where we showcase our products and engage in business discussions.

The second involves responding to individual inquiries from businesses. For example, a client might ask, "We’re developing a new menu for next July—do you have a seaweed that would complement our concept?" In such cases, I assess their needs, consider ingredient pairings, and propose suitable products and pricing. If the collaboration evolves beyond a simple transaction into a deeper partnership, I work alongside our project management and quality control teams to ensure smooth execution.

ー Since joining Sea Vegetable in 2020, what changes have you observed?

Back then, we were working with a few partners, such as Kikusuido, known for their freshly made potato chips, and Shoujuan, a baked confectionery producer in Kochi Prefecture, one of our key production sites, to incorporate Suji-Aonori into their products. At the time, I was also making cold calls, often having to introduce Sea Vegetable from scratch.

Now, the landscape has changed significantly. Thanks to word-of-mouth from existing clients and the growing recognition of our work, we’re fortunate to have companies and partners reaching out to us, saying, "We’d love to collaborate." This expansion in partnerships has not only increased our network but also strengthened our team, allowing us to move projects forward at a much faster pace than before.

ー What do you consider the most significant change?

One of the biggest milestones was when Shui Ishizaka joined Sea Vegetable in 2021 as our culinary development lead. At the time, he was working as a sous-chef at INUA, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Tokyo. INUA was known for its innovative use of various seaweeds in its dishes, and Ishizaka played a key role in that development.

When we established our test kitchen in Nakameguro, he brought his expertise into play, developing new seasonings and preparation techniques using seaweed. Among them, I have a strong attachment to the Premium Salad Seaweed Series, a product that reimagined seaweed processing methods—unchanged since the Showa era—from a chef’s perspective.

We also hosted multiple seaweed tasting sessions for early-adopter chefs. Some of the participants later became key collaborators, such as Yasutaka Inaba, the master of Higashimukojima Coffee Shop, who created the Aonori Toast recipe; Naoya Higuchi, a culinary researcher; and Shigeo Mano, a buyer from Isetan Shinjuku. Their participation led to exciting new projects and strengthened our network within the culinary world.

The Unique Appeal of Land-Grown Suji-Aonori

ー Sea Vegetable is known for the adoption of world's first Suji-Aonori Land Cultivation with Pristine Mineral-Rich Seawater. What makes this land-based cultivation so special?

At Sea Vegetable, we are pioneering a world-first approach—cultivating Suji-Aonori using clean, mineral-rich underground seawater. Customers frequently highlight two key advantages:

1. A more intense aroma compared to other brands.
2. Fewer foreign particles than sea-surface cultivated Aonori.

These are precisely the strengths of our land-based cultivation method.

Scientifically, Suji-Aonori contains higher levels of compounds responsible for the “ocean fragrance” compared to other seaweeds. A third-party research institution analyzed our Suji-Aonori and found that its aroma components measured up to 4.57 times higher than other brands.

ー Sea Vegetable’s Suji-Aonori holds a dominant share in the domestic market, but how do you personally perceive the "potential" of seaweed?

In today's world, food tech innovations are constantly emerging, making our diets more convenient while introducing new flavors and experiences. These advancements are incredible, but personally, I find deep value in the richness of traditional food cultures and time-honored ingredients. What excites me most is the intersection between heritage and the unknown—blending tradition with innovation.

Perhaps it is this balance that sparks human curiosity—the urge to taste more, learn more, and explore more.

Seaweed, a food passed down through generations, still holds countless untapped possibilities. I’m not interested in simply presenting something that feels entirely new. Instead, I want people to experience that "Aha!" moment—realizing that what they thought they knew still holds surprises. That’s where I find the most joy.

Enriching the Ocean Through Collaboration

ーWhat do you hope to achieve through Sea Vegetable?

The name "Sea Vegetable" carries the meaning of "vegetables from the sea." There are approximately 1,500 types of seaweed found in the waters surrounding Japan, most of which are edible. However, due to their regional nature and limited harvest quantities, many of these seaweeds never reach nationwide distribution, and as a result, their delicious preparation methods remain largely unknown.

Our goal is to increase the variety of seaweeds available to people while also making seaweed a more familiar choice—where shoppers can walk into a supermarket and think, "Which seaweed should I try today?"

Recently, I had the opportunity to give a lecture in Namerikawa, Toyama, a coastal town known for its abundant seafood. While talking with locals, I learned that seaweed in the area is gradually disappearing. This phenomenon isn't unique to Namerikawa; it's happening all across Japan, affecting not only coastal livelihoods but also marine ecosystems.

At Sea Vegetable, we cultivate seaweed both on land and in the ocean, but to truly restore ocean health, we need to accelerate our sea-surface cultivation efforts. By partnering with local fishers who hold fishing rights, we can expand the area available for seaweed farming. More seaweed means greater production, but it also serves a larger purpose:

Seaweed beds act as the "cradle of the sea", providing shelter and food for fish, shellfish, and other marine life, helping to maintain the delicate balance of ocean ecosystems. Growing seaweed isn’t just about food—it’s about restoring the sea and creating sustainable jobs for fishers.

Through our work, I hope to build a stronger connection between coastal communities and urban food culture, where the act of eating seaweed not only supports local livelihoods but also contributes to the regeneration of our oceans.

ー What kind of partners do you need to make this future a reality?

At Sea Vegetable, we're not a company that simply chases profits. We're not aiming for slow, 30-year growth either. The reality is that climate change is causing ocean temperatures to rise, and the marine environment is deteriorating day by day. It's crucial to create systems that can brighten the future of the sea as soon as possible.

However, we can't achieve this alone. To enrich the ocean, it's not just about the fisheries industry—we need to involve people from industries who have had little to no connection with the sea. It's essential that they understand our mission.

In fact, there's already a growing interest from non-aquaculture companies who have come forward with a desire to collaborate. Because of this, our message is clear: "We're not waiting for someday. Let’s start working together now!"

ー Finally, what is your favorite seaweed?

I often use Suji-Aonori, but my favorite is Tosakanori. I love ethnic cuisines, and I still remember the shock I felt when I first tried a salad made by Chef Okada, which combined Tosakanori with coriander. I also enjoy Tosakanori paired with boiled chicken, seasoned in a Chinese-style. Even without fish or meat, simply adding seaweed creates a healthy, satisfying dish with a fun texture.

For further insights, check out the interview series:

"The Future of Seaweed Creation" – Vol.1: Interview with Shogo Arai, a Seaweed Harvesting & Classification Specialist.