Dr Craig Rose , also known as “ Doctor Seaweed ”, has accessed the support of Scaleup North East .
INDUSTRY LEADER JOINS
THE ‘ SEAWEED REVOLUTION ’
Doctor Seaweed has acquired the support of market leader Mario Patrocollo to the board .
Founded in 2015 by marine biologist Dr Craig Rose , Seaweed & Co has created multiple signature seaweed products and brands , and is now a leading supplier of nutritional supplements and seaweed ingredients across Europe .
The business , which is based in Whitley Bay , has recently welcomed Mario Patrocollo , advisor to the Co-COO of Walgreens Boots Alliance , as chairman of the board to assist the company on its growth journey and global expansion .
According to global market insights , it ’ s estimated that the entire seaweed industry is currently worth more than $ 6bn and is projected to surpass $ 85bn by 2026 .
For Craig , harnessing the knowledge and expertise of Mario , who has notable experience of managing and developing large global businesses , is a key strategic step towards tapping further into this lucrative market .
Dr Rose – also known as “ Doctor Seaweed ” – said : “ We are delighted to welcome Mario to the team at a time when we are expanding into new product sectors and geographies .
“ His experience in pharmaceuticals , OTC and FMCG , not only with multi-nationals at the highest strategic level but also with fast growing start-up challenger companies , will help us take advantage of the huge potential for seaweed in general and our unique set-up in particular .
“ We are incredibly excited to have him involved and learn from the phenomenal experience and expertise he will bring to the team .”
Craig Huntingdon , a partner at Scaleup North East , has been working alongside “ Doctor Seaweed ” and his team for a number of years , helping to strategically shape growth plans for their range of products .
When addressing future plans for the business , developing proprietary technologies and maturing commercialisation goals was key to growth .
When recalling the support provided by the programme , Craig said : “ Working with Scaleup North East has given us access to some really valuable support , and is a great way to be part of promoting the value and aspirations of the wider region and what it can offer .”
In addition to their initial Weed & Wonderful nutritional supplement range , Seaweed & Co has also developed its PureSea ® ingredients range which consists of highly innovative micro-encapsulated seaweed as an ingredient for food and beverage manufacturers .
Products are now available from multiple leading retailers including Boots and Holland & Barrett , as well as directly from QVC , Amazon and the business ’ own website .
RTC North is delivering Scaleup North East in conjunction with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership ( LEP ). The programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF ). It is aimed at supporting North East-based businesses that can demonstrate both the hunger and the potential to achieve high levels of growth . Visit scaleupnortheast . co . uk for more details .
14 | Aycliffe Business