European Market for Sea Vegetables by

Mr. Amarjit Sahota

Agenda

I. Introduction

II. Key Findings

III. Recommendations

Business Services

i. Research Publications

ii. Business Research & Consulting

iii. Seminars & Workshops

iv. Sustainability Summits

(Europe, North & Latin America, Asia-Pacific)

www.organicmonitor.com

Project Scope Project Objective

To analyse the European market for edible sea vegetables to

assess market potential and identify export openings

Product Segments

Atlantic Wakame (Alaria esculenta)

Kombu (Saccharina latissima)

Nori (Porphyra)

Dulse (Palmaria palmata)

Geographical Scope: Western Europe

Research Steps

I. Project initialisation

II. Desk research / literature review

III. Questionnaire design & test

IV. Contact list development

V. Primary research

VI. Data analysis & review

VII. Report preparation

VIII. Present key findings

Market Size

UK23%

Germany12%

Spain10%

Others23% France

32%

Volumes: 472 tonnes

Wholesale revenues: EUR 24 million

Sea Vegetables Overview

Nori - Dominant product - Country sources: Japan, China & South Korea - Largest market: UK

Dulse - Second largest product - Biggest producer & consumer:

France - Most reliant on regional

production

Atlantic Wakame - Third largest product - Leading European producer &

consumer: Spain

Kombu - Reliant on imports - Biggest European consumer: France

Market Drivers > High demand from the Catering & Foodservice (CFS) sector > Growing use by food processors. Examples of new applications

include seaweed pasta, mustard, rillettes, and pâtés > Widening availability in retailers

(specialists & mainstream) > Rising awareness of health

& nutritional benefits …yet small market size!

Market Restraints European consumption per capita, < 0.01 kg c.f. Japan ~ 1.8g Why so low? > Low consumer awareness > Lack of supply of European sea vegetables

> Relatively low demand from food processors > High European product prices

Level of Imports

56% 57%

99%

10%

44% 43%

1%

90%

0%10%20%

30%40%50%60%70%

80%90%

100%

AtlanticWakame

Kombu Nori Dulse

Seaweed Type

Tota

l Mar

ket (

%)

Imorts of total market (%) European supply (%)

European Production Levels

Producer Countries Tonnes

Atlantic Wakame Spain, France, Netherlands 28

Kombu France, Spain 22

Nori France 3

Dulse France 63

Total 116

Distribution Structure

Producers

Wholesaler

CFS sector Retail sector

Harvesters

Processor

Importers

Main Producers

Setalg France Aqua B France Les Ouessantines France Algae Service France C’ Weed France Algamar Spain Porto Muinos Spain Spenn Kot The Netherlands Wild Irish Sea Vegetables Company Ireland Algaran Ireland

End-User Analysis

CFS Sector61%

Food Processors21%

Retail Sector18%

Q: Who are leading operators?

Food Processors

Aqua B France Algues Service France Globe Export France

Yedo Sushi France Taiko Foods UK Ichiban UK UK Natsu Foods Germany Algamar Spain Porto Muinos Spain Kisso Sushi Italy

Retailers

Almost all mass market retailers have nori (sheets)!

Specialist Retailers Biocoop Bord a Bord, Celnat, Marinoe La Vie Claire Bord a Bord Whole Foods Market Cornish Seaweed Planet Organic Clearspring Alnatura SuperNaturMarkt Arche Naturkueche Denn’s Bio Markt Arche Naturkueche Terra Verda Terra Verda, Mitoku, Algamar Ecoveritas Porto Muinos, Biocop, Bord a Bord Natura Si La Finestra Sul Cielo, Mitoku Natuurwinkel Terrasana, Manna, Lima, Algoplus Bioshop Terrasana, Clearspring, Lima, Manna Helios Clearspring, Fremtidens Mat

Agenda

I. Introduction

II. Key Findings

III. Recommendations

Business Prospects

> Overall – high prospects

> Product segments – Dulse most attractive

> Certification schemes – importance of organic

> Country markets – France, Spain, Germany, UK

Q: What segment / end-users to target?

End-user Industries

Specialist retailers: high demand from organic food shops and health food retailers

Food processors: growing need for European sea

vegetables for finished products

CFS sector: favour imported sea vegetables

Barriers to Market Entry

Price Distribution Organic

Certification Quality

Price competition from imported sea vegetables Building distribution in export markets Certification expected High quality requirements, especially from

retailers

Marketing Recommendations

Organic certification Nutritional values & health

benefits

Applications

Packaging

Marketing Recommendations

Profit Margins

Source: NI Business Now

Q: What sectors will you focus on?

- Formed in 1996

- Harvests, dries and processes sea vegetables

- Finished food products include rice cakes, pasta, quinoa, etc.

- Algamar products mainly in specialist retailers

- Established in 1994 on Ushant island

- Harvests 6 sea vegetables

- Processes them to make finished food products

- Food products are in Monoprix and specialist retailers

Thank You More information > Market research & consulting

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