Industry collaboration has supported a unique seaweed product development. At the University of Waikato, we are proudly driving innovation for societal progress and global sustainability, linking knowledge with industry for a better world. Committed to sustainable innovation, our research fuels business, environmental and global societal outcomes.
A recent collaboration between researchers, working out of our Coastal Marine Field Station at Sulphur Point, and seaweed product developers and manufacturers Premium Seas, has supported the development of a unique, high-value seaweed extract. Not only does this support a pioneering aquaculture business within New Zealand but it is contributing to the health of our communities through the product’s healing properties.
University of Waikato senior research fellow, Dr Christopher Glasson, and Premium Seas’ founder and CEO, Lucas Evans, worked together on the development stage of a seaweed supplement. They identified an approach to extract the carbohydrate molecule, fucoidan, from seaweed and process it into a high value nutritional supplement.
In August 2024, Premium Seas launched this one of a kind fucoidan extract as a key ingredient in the Purify Me product, Pure Flow. This New Zealand-made nutritional supplement is designed to care for the heart, strengthen immunity, reduce inflammation and improve overall health. Initial market testing by Premium Seas is underway in New Zealand with the next phase seeing its international launch into the United States.
Mr Evans from Premium Seas says the role played by the university was invaluable in helping his business to develop the product to a stage where it is now ready to be exported internationally.
“As an emerging business, Premium Seas has needed to develop products, processes and technical expertise from scratch,” he said. “Working with the university allowed us to connect with technical expertise and resources which, otherwise, we would not have been able to access without significant capital injection.
“Working collaboratively in this way is a glowing example of the meaningful support universities can provide businesses such as ours when working through the challenges of technical product development activities.”
Dr Glasson, a specialist in marine science and aquaculture, provided technical product development support to Premiums Seas. Identifying a refined extraction process for the fucoidan, he provided expert guidance during commercial scale equipment trials for extraction and drying of the fucoidan extractions. This technical expertise led to improvements to the product quality and yield of the fucoidan.
“It is extremely rewarding to see a novel New Zealand natural product go from a benchtop concept to market,” Dr Glasson said.
“The positive outcome is a testament to the hard yards put in by Premium Seas. It is great to have had the opportunity to work with such an awesome team of people during the development stage – this includes the expert staff at The FoodBowl where the successful scale up was achieved.”
This collaboration is just one example of the many ways researchers at the University of Waikato Tauranga campus are working with industry to deliver real impact.
Our research connections span all business sizes, from entrepreneurs and starts-ups to international corporations, and across a wide range of industries, from horticulture, industrial design and robotics to aquaculture.
If you have an exciting idea that could be advanced through the expertise of world leading research, contact us today. Email research@waikato.ac.nz
