Case Study: Mara Seaweed

Can you tell us a bit about your business?

Mara is a mission-led, social, environmental and health impact company. Our mission is to bring seaweed, Scotland’s sustainable superfood, back to the table and open it to the world, all while doing good for the planet.

We produce a range of award-winning healthy shake, stir, or bake in seasonings, all of which are healthy, tasty and good for the planet. We also produce an amazing seaweed butter. They are easy to use as an everyday seasoning, high in umami (which basically makes everything taste even more delicious) and a great way to reduce your sodium salt intake and improve the nutritional value of your dishes. It’s a natural superfood. Our production company harvest several seaweed species in the East Neuk of Fife and we turn it into all sorts of strips, seasonings, flakes and powders.

What has been the biggest lesson you have learned over the last few years?

It’s been a difficult year but through the pandemic, people have learnt to experiment when it comes to cooking at home, people have become more adventurous and want to try new ingredients. Social media gives us great insight into the people who are becoming real advocates for our products and how they’re using them – we can see there’s genuine momentum building given how passionate people are about using seaweed to make their meals tastier and more nutritious.

And what opportunities are you looking forward to grasping in the coming years?

We want to work alongside other ethical, forward-thinking brands. A few months ago, Orkney Craft Vinegar released a product infused with our smoked dulse powder which sold out very quickly. This shows the opportunities available in collaborating with other brands, something we plan to do a lot more of in the coming years and is something to really celebrate through the Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight.

We are excited about our plans for significant sustainable growth, we’re working hard on product development and have plans to significantly expand our range…. watch this space!

What is your favourite thing about Scotland’s food and drink industry?

We’re proud to be amongst a wealth of pioneering Scottish producers and food and drink manufacturers. We recognise how lucky we are to live in such a unique place. Particularly when it comes to the incredible Scottish coastline and all that it offers – health, wellbeing, and delicious tasting seafood like seaweed.

Why is it important for consumers to support Scottish producers?

Supporting Scottish producers is in our favour for the future. The pandemic has really made people think about the world, climate, and their local food chains. This is great news for our natural environment which has a huge impact on people’s health, the planet and profit and is central to Mara’s mission to nourish body and soul.

Finally, how are you celebrating this Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight?

We’re highlighting “ten ways with seaweed” on our social media channels to remind people of the well-known and perhaps less obvious ways to bring Scotland’s sustainable superfood to the table.