The Products

All of our seaweeds are collected from the remote and pristine waters on the outer coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. This area has the richest kelp flora in the world, with 24 species being reported, which gives us many interesting options for products. All harvesting is government regulated to assure a sustainable resource. Every plant we harvest continues to grow and reproduce - the plants are not destroyed.

Pacific Seaweeds is a guide to seaweeds of the Pacific Northwest.

Written by CKR's president Dr. Louis Druehl, "this unique and highly readable guidebook will appeal to marine biologists, amateur beachcombers and everyone in between". See the foreword and table of contents.

CANADIAN KELP FLAKES are made from the "winged kelp", Alaria marginata (the wings are special blades for reproduction) by oven roasting and stone grinding. They are a great source of micronutrients and relatively low in sodium (less than 1% of dry weight). We recommend they be used anywhere you would use table salt (40% sodium).

KOMBU is the common Japanese food name for Laminaria, a relatively simple kelp, lacking branching or special blades for reproduction. We use Laminaria setchellii for our kombu. This species lives up to 25 years, is jerky (best in soups and chowders), and tasty. Our harvesting does not remove these wonderful plants.

BULL KELP (Nereocystis leutkeana), which may reach 36 meters/118 feet in length, looks like a very big brown onion. It is versatile culinary vegetable that is great crunched up in rice and shredded into stir-fry.

Our product, MACROKELP (scientific name Macrocystis integrifolia) is a complex kelp made from large (up to 30 meters or 99 feet long) and bushy plants that give credence to the term kelp forest. This is the most delicate edible kelp product and makes great chips.

Kelp on the Net

>> Article in the National Post

>> Dining review from the Georgia Strait

>> Canadian Kelp available at Ladybug Organics