OrganicOcean

What OrganicOcean does

OrganicOcean Inc. is a privately held Canadian marine biotechnology company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, Quebec, with manufacturing operations in the Bas-Saint-Laurent maritime region near Trois-Pistoles. The company sustainably harvests cold-water seaweed species — primarily Ascophyllum nodosum, Saccharina longicruris, and Fucus vesiculosus — from the St. Lawrence Estuary under a Fisheries and Oceans Canada permit, then converts the biomass into seaweed-based biostimulants for plant nutrition. Over 15 years it has developed proprietary extraction, formulation, foliar transport, and granular controlled-release processes, backed by more than 1,000 agronomic field trials across 40+ crops that document yield gains on potatoes, wheat, soy, corn, and horticultural crops.

Its product portfolio spans liquid biostimulants (Vita Folium, Stimulagros, Tonic), granular formulations (Asco-Root, Humarine), combination products (INICIUM), the broader Folio3 foliar fertilizer line of 16 SKUs, animal nutrition products, and a private label manufacturing service that develops custom formulations for other companies. The company monetizes through B2B sales of branded and white-label products to agricultural cooperatives and distributors — notably Sollio Agriculture (La Coop fédérée), the Agrocentre network, Agromart, Uniag, Novago, and Covris — with agronomist-led field trials and recommendations driving pull-through to commercial farmers growing row crops, horticulture, and turf. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. OrganicOcean also supplies seaweed flour (laminaria) for non-agricultural applications such as artisanal gin production at Distillerie du St-Laurent.

Funding to date has come exclusively from non-dilutive Canadian federal and Quebec provincial government grants (MAPAQ, FARR, DEC, CED) totaling roughly $1.3M–$1.6M CAD across 2018, 2019, and 2023, with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional investors. The company employs between 11 and 50 people (most recent point estimates around 20–26 including seasonal workers) and operates with Martin Poirier as president, CEO, and co-owner. Commercial reach extends across Canada, the United States, South America, and Asia, while the addressable market is the global biostimulant category, projected by MarketsandMarkets to reach roughly $4.9B USD by 2025.

Name

OrganicOcean

Legal name

ORGANICOCEAN INC.

Website

https://organicocean.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OrganicOcean is a Canadian marine biotechnology company that develops and manufactures seaweed-based biostimulants for plant nutrition, harvesting cold-water seaweed from the St. Lawrence Estuary and selling branded and private-label products to agricultural cooperatives serving row-crop, horticulture, and turf farmers across Canada, the U.S., South America, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Biostimulants

NAICS

Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531), Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253), Aquaculture (11251)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Soil Health Activators & Biostimulants (Humates, Amino Acids, Seaweed Extracts) (AFABAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biostimulant-Enhanced Fertilizers (Humic/Fulvic, Amino Acids, Seaweed Blends) (AFABACAK), Biostimulants & Plant Health Biologicals (Microbial/Non-microbial) (AFABAEAK), Seaweed & Algae Aquaculture (incl. microalgae) (AFAEAAAE), Bio-based Fertilizers, Soil Amendments & Biostimulants (Digestate-derived, biochar-based inputs) (EUAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Seaweed biostimulants
• Plant nutrition products
• Marine biotechnology
• Agricultural fertilizers
• Crop yield enhancers

Headquarters

HQ city

Rimouski

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Biostimulant Products: Sale of biostimulant products for plant nutrition derived from seaweed extracts. Products include liquid and granular formulations for various agricultural applications including foliar spray, soil application, and fertigation. Revenue generated from direct product sales to agricultural cooperatives and distributors who then sell to end-use farmers.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Development and manufacturing of formulations under private label for different companies. Company has developed several technical ingredients for different types of formulations.
3. Seaweed Ingredients: Sale of seaweed-based ingredients for various applications including human food and beverage production (e.g., kelp flour for gin distillery).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OrganicOcean develops and manufactures innovative marine-based biostimulant products for plant nutrition derived from cold-water seaweeds harvested from the St. Lawrence Estuary. The product portfolio includes liquid formulations for foliar application, granular controlled-release products for mixing with fertilizers, and combination biostimulants (e.g., INICIUM) tailored for crops such as potatoes, corn, soybeans, and wheat. The company also offers private-label manufacturing services and animal nutrition products.

Product overview

OrganicOcean is a Canadian company founded in 2009 specializing in marine-based biostimulant products for plant nutrition. The product portfolio centers on seaweed extracts derived from Ascophyllum nodosum harvested in the St. Lawrence Estuary, offered in three delivery formats: liquid concentrates (Vita Folium, Stimulagros, Tonic) for foliar application, granular controlled-release formulations (Asco-Root, Humarine) for soil/fertilizer mixing, and combination products (INICIUM). The Folio3 line extends the portfolio with 16 foliar fertilizers featuring proprietary Evolution Amino technology. Products serve agriculture, horticulture, and turf markets through exclusive distribution networks in Canada, US, South America, and Asia. The company also offers private label manufacturing services and animal nutrition products derived from marine biomass.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vita Folium Liquid seaweed-based biostimulant made from Ascophyllum nodosum extracts, applied with fungicides on wheat, soy, and corn crops to enhance plant health, reduce stress, improve photosynthesis, and increase yield.
• Asco-Root Granular controlled-release seaweed extract supplement mixed with dry fertilizers. Stimulates root growth, tuber formation, photosynthetic capacity, and stress resistance, particularly effective for potatoes and solanaceous crops.
• Stimulagros (Stimulagro) Liquid seaweed concentrate for foliar, soil, and fertigation application. Recommended for vegetable and fruit crops, applied multiple times during the season to limit transplant stress, support pre-flowering, and boost periods of intense vegetative development.
• Tonic Liquid fertilizer for vegetable and field crops. Applied foliarly during stress periods to improve plant tolerance to drought and heat stress.
• INICIUM Biostimulant combining seaweed extracts (Ascophyllum nodosum), potassium humates, and various organic acids. Demonstrated yield increases of 38-47% in potato trials.
• Humarine Corn starter containing humic acids, fulvic acids, and crustacean shells. Formulated to increase availability of positively charged nutrients (potassium, calcium, magnesium) in soil and fertilizers, with chitines providing preventive protection against fungal development.
• Folio3 (Folium3) Foliar fertilizer line containing seaweed extracts. Features Evolution Amino technology combining high-performance chelates, biostimulants, and adjuvants. Includes 16 products for vegetable and field crops.
• Animal Nutrition Products Products derived from marine biomass for animal nutrition applications, including seaweed meal and extracts intended for use as nutritional supplements in animal feed.
• Private Label Manufacturing Custom formulation development and manufacturing services for other companies, utilizing proprietary seaweed extract ingredients and processing technologies to deliver products under the customer's own brand.

Quantifiable outcome

• +36 quintaux vendables/acre average yield increase in potatoes (108 trials, 2012-2023)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GO UsinageminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2019Partnered with GO Usinage (also based in Notre-Dame-des-Neiges) for shared equipment acquisition and industrial development in shared business park.
• Sollio Agriculture / La Coop fédéréecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 May 2018Major distribution partner offering OrganicOcean's Asco-Root (granular seaweed extract for mixing with dry fertilizers) and Tonic (liquid for foliar application) products through their cooperative network across Quebec.
• Distillerie du St-LaurentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016OrganicOcean supplies seaweed flour (laminaria) to the Rimouski gin distillery as a key ingredient. The distillery produces St. Laurent gin, an artisanal 100% natural spirit with seaweed flour as a signature ingredient.
• Agrocentre NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAgricultural cooperative network distributing STIMULAGRO (liquid concentrate for foliar, soil, and fertigation application) and ASCO-ROOT products for horticultural and agricultural crops.
• AgromartminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner serving Ontario and Maritime provinces for OrganicOcean biostimulant products.
• Uniag CoopérativeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional cooperative in Quebec distributing Vita Folium biostimulant with expert-consultant Kelley Allen recommending products to farmers.
• Novago CoopérativeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMauricie region cooperative with agronomist Gabrielle Desjardins conducting field trials and promoting Vita Folium products.
• Covris CoopérativeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative serving Sainte-Françoise-de-Lotbinière area with technologist Valérie Martineau recommending Vita Folium products.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Valagro (Syngenta Biologicals): Valagro, now part of Syngenta Biologicals, is a global leader in biostimulants and specialty plant nutrition with a broad portfolio including seaweed-based products. Acts as a broad incumbent against which OrganicOcean competes for shelf space at agricultural retailers and cooperatives.
• UPL Limited: UPL is a global agrochemical major with a growing portfolio of biosolutions including seaweed-based biostimulants. Functions as a broad incumbent competitor pushing into OrganicOcean's category through extensive global distribution networks.
• Brandt Consolidated: Brandt is a large specialty agricultural inputs manufacturer and formulator including foliar nutrients and biostimulants. It has private-label and branded offerings overlapping with OrganicOcean's Folio3 foliar fertilizer line and competes for cooperative distribution channels.
• Stoller Enterprises: Stoller is a well-established biostimulant and plant physiology company with broad row-crop, horticulture, and specialty crop distribution. Competes head-to-head with OrganicOcean in foliar biostimulant positioning across North American row crop and horticulture markets.

Direct peers

• Acadian Seaplants: Acadian Seaplants is the global leader in Ascophyllum nodosum-based seaweed extracts for agricultural biostimulants, headquartered in Atlantic Canada. It is the most direct comparable to OrganicOcean given overlap in raw material (cold-water brown algae), product formats (liquid and granular extracts), and target customer (row crop and horticulture farmers).
• Kelpak (Kelp Products International): Kelpak produces Ecklonia maxima-based seaweed extract biostimulants applied as foliar sprays and soil drenches. Comparable in seaweed-based biostimulant positioning, formulation technology (cold extraction), and crop-stress value proposition against OrganicOcean's Ascophyllum-based products.
• Agrinos: Agrinos produces microbial and biologically-derived crop input products including biostimulants and soil health products. Comparable as a specialist biostimulant/biological inputs company competing in the same regenerative agriculture channel through distributors and cooperatives.
• Italpollina / Hello Nature: Hello Nature (formerly Italpollina) is an Italian biostimulant specialist producing humic/fulvic acid and seaweed-based products for global agriculture. Direct competitor in the natural-origin biostimulant category with comparable go-to-market through distributors and field-trial-driven agronomist recommendations.
• BioAtlantis: BioAtlantis is an Ireland-based biotech producing seaweed- and microbial-derived biostimulants and animal nutrition ingredients. Directly comparable in product category (biostimulants from marine biomass) and in targeting abiotic stress tolerance in crops, though it operates across Europe rather than North America.

Emerging players

• Lallemand Plant Care: Lallemand Plant Care develops microbial-based biostimulants and biocontrol products targeted at row crops and specialty crops. Partial overlap as a biological inputs specialist selling through similar agricultural distribution channels across North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOd768UGF_pWakAHTU7xBUA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OrganicOcean