What Ocean's Balance does

Ocean's Balance is a vertically integrated seaweed ingredient company founded in 2016 and headquartered in Biddeford, Maine. The company sources seaweed through its own kelp nursery (250,000 lb sugar kelp capacity, developed with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and NOAA grant funding) and a network of Maine seaweed farmers, then processes it at a single SQF-certified facility using a custom 17-ton industrial dehydrator (30,000 lbs wet seaweed per day), industrial ribbon mixer, and flexible milling equipment. Product output spans organic whole leaf, flakes, granules, and powders across Dulse, Kelp, Kombu, Wakame, Nori, Sea Lettuce, Sea Moss, Irish Moss, Bladderwrack, Spirulina, and Chlorella, plus furikake seasonings, a Wellness Collection (seamoss+, seagreens+, seaboost+, seacleanse+), microalgae, and the proprietary ReadyRed all-natural carrageenan replacement offered in four application-specific formulations.

The business operates as a B2B ingredient supplier to food manufacturers, pet food companies, dietary supplement brands, cosmetic companies, and food service operators, complemented by direct-to-consumer e-commerce and Faire marketplace retail. Revenue mechanics combine volume-tiered unit pricing on bulk ingredients, private-label and contract-manufacturing engagements, custom blending (e.g., BalanceBlend, LowIodineBlend, FiberBoostBlend), milling and dehydration services for other Maine seaweed growers, and export sales that constitute 35% of revenue across China, Mexico, Canada, and the UK. Customers receive USDA Organic (MOFGA), SQF, HACCP, and Kosher-certified product with full farm-to-finished traceability, and the company holds registered trademark on ReadyRed. Commercial reach is supported by distribution across owned e-commerce, Faire, direct B2B field sales (including a dedicated International Sales function), and food service channels.

Name

Ocean's Balance

Legal name

Ocean's Balance

Website

https://oceansbalance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ocean's Balance is a vertically integrated Maine-based seaweed ingredient producer supplying organic dried seaweed, custom blends, private-label products, and the proprietary ReadyRed carrageenan replacement to food, pet food, nutraceutical, and cosmetic manufacturers, with 35% of revenue from international export markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seaweed Ingredients

NAICS

Aquaculture (1125), Other Aquaculture (112519), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (311710), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Seaweed & Algae Aquaculture (incl. microalgae) (AFAEAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Algae & Seaweed Proteins (Microalgae/Spirulina, Macroalgae) (AFAJAHAF), Aquaculture Harvest, Processing & Packing (Farmed Finfish/Shellfish; On-Farm Plants) (AFANADAL), Seaweed & Dried Vegetable Snacks Manufacturing (AFAKAIAI)

Keywords

• Organic seaweed ingredients
• Seaweed ingredient manufacturing
• Private label seaweed
• Kelp farming aquaculture
• Custom blending services

Headquarters

HQ city

Biddeford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bulk Seaweed Ingredient Sales: Wholesale and bulk sales of organic seaweed ingredients (whole leaf, flakes, granules, powders) to food manufacturers, pet food manufacturers, dietary supplement brands, cosmetic companies, and herb resellers. Products are sold by the pound with tiered volume discounts. Bulk orders are packed in food-grade liner bags with basic labeling.
2. Retail Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of premium organic seaweed products through e-commerce website including whole leaf seaweeds, powders, flakes, furikake seasonings, wellness collection supplements, and gift cards. Revenue generated through per-unit transactions with free shipping on orders over $50.
3. Private Label Manufacturing: Private labeling services for dried seaweed products allowing brands to offer premium seaweed varieties under their own label. Includes full production support from in-house Food Scientist and Director of Operations, HACCP-certified team, and end-to-end professional experience.
4. Custom Blending Services: Custom mixing and blending services for food and ingredient applications. The company collaborates with clients' R&D teams to craft customized seaweed blends to meet specific requirements and health goals. Includes ingredient sourcing support.
5. Food Service Distribution: Supply of seaweed products to restaurants and food service operators. Products include whole leaf seaweeds, custom blends, and furikake seasonings in various formats suitable for commercial kitchen use.
6. Meat Extension Ingredients: Seaweed ingredients sold as meat extenders to food manufacturers. Seaweed's moisture-retention properties enhance texture and juiciness in processed meats while adding nutritional benefits. Companies incorporate seaweed to broaden product offerings for health-conscious consumers.
7. Land-Based Ingredients: Expansion into land-based functional ingredients including black sesame seeds, organic barley grass juice powder, ground golden flaxseed meal, whole black chia seeds, and white sesame seeds to complement blending services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ocean's Balance is a vertically integrated seaweed ingredient producer that cultivates, harvests, dehydrates, mills, and manufactures certified organic seaweed (dulse, kelp, kombu, sea moss, wakame, nori, sea lettuce, spirulina, chlorella) in bulk and retail formats for food, pet food, dietary supplement, and cosmetic manufacturers, food service operators, and direct consumers. The company also offers private label, custom blending, milling, industrial dehydration, and contract kelp nursery services to brands and seaweed farmers.

Product overview

Ocean's Balance is a vertically integrated seaweed ingredient company offering a comprehensive portfolio of seaweed products and manufacturing services. The core offerings include Bulk Seaweed Products (organic Dulse, Irish Moss, Kombu, Wakame, Nori, Sea Lettuce, Kelp in whole leaf, flake, granule, and powder forms) and Retail Products sold directly to consumers. The business model centers on B2B ingredient supply to food manufacturers, pet food companies, dietary supplement brands, and cosmetics companies, supported by value-added services including Private Label, Custom Blending, Mixing & Blending, Industrial Dehydration, and Milling services. Additional product lines include Furikake Seasonings (Bonito, Spicy, Truffle), the Wellness Collection (seamoss+, seagreens+, seaboost+, seacleanse+), ReadyRed carrageenan replacement, Microalgae (Spirulina, Chlorella), and Land-Based Ingredients. The company also operates a kelp nursery and offers contract processing services to Maine seaweed farmers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bulk Seaweed Products Organic seaweed ingredients sold in bulk volumes (whole leaf, flakes, granules, powders) for food manufacturers, supplement brands, distributors, and commercial buyers. Offered across varieties including Dulse, Irish Moss, Kombu, Wakame, Nori, Sea Lettuce, Kelp, Bladderwrack, and Spirulina.
• Retail Seaweed Products Consumer-facing organic seaweed products including whole leaf, flakes, and powders sold directly to retail customers through oceansbalance.com and the Faire marketplace.
• Furikake Seasonings Seaweed-based seasoning blends made with Maine-farmed sugar kelp, available in Bonito, Spicy, and Truffle varieties, sold to retail consumers, food service operators, and bulk buyers.
• Wellness Collection Organic, nutrient-rich marine botanical blends designed by the in-house Food Scientist to support energy, balance, and daily vitality, including seamoss+, seagreens+, seaboost+, and seacleanse+ products.
• Detox Smoothie Powder Organic daily detox smoothie powder containing spirulina, dulse, barley grass juice powder, and blueberry, designed for 14-day heavy metal detox protocols and available via subscription.
• Private Label Services Private labeling services that allow brands to offer premium dried seaweed varieties (whole leaf, flakes, powders, furikake seasonings) under their own label, supported by in-house Food Scientist, Director of Operations, and a HACCP-certified team.
• Custom Blends Customized seaweed blending services for food and pet food customers collaborating with the company's R&D team, including formulation examples such as BalanceBlend for joint health, LowIodineBlend for low-iodine formulations, and FiberBoostBlend for soluble fiber enrichment.
• ReadyRed Carrageenan Replacement All-natural seaweed gelling agent combining red sea moss powder with proprietary ingredients to replace carrageenan without chemical extraction, available in formulations for tumbled/cooked ham (ReadyRed 210), poultry meat injection (ReadyRed 220), processed cheese analogues (ReadyRed 230), and fruit jams and jellies (ReadyRed 240).
• Mixing & Blending Services Custom mixing and blending services in Maine powered by an industrial-size ribbon mixer in an SQF-certified facility, supporting powder, granule, and flake blending for seaweed-based blends and marine ingredients with a HACCP-certified production team.
• Industrial Dehydration Services Industrial dehydrator services capable of drying up to 30,000 pounds of wet seaweed per day, available to Maine seaweed farmers for contract processing and supporting increased output for the Maine seaweed industry.
• Milling Services Seaweed milling capabilities allowing customization of particle size for any order, accommodating whole leaf, flakes, granules, and powder formats for food and pet food manufacturers.
• Innovative Nursery / Kelp Seed State-of-the-art kelp nursery producing over 250,000 pounds of sugar kelp seed at full capacity, developed with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and supported by NOAA grant funding for sustainable kelp cultivation.
• Thyroid Support Kelp Blend Granulated seaweed supplement for horses providing natural iodine for thyroid support, essential minerals including magnesium, potassium, and calcium, and natural antioxidants.
• Meat Extension Ingredients Seaweed ingredients (nori, alaria, kelp) used as sustainable meat extenders providing moisture retention, enhanced nutrition, and natural umami flavor for sausages, burgers, meatballs, and clean-label products.
• Food Service Products Full line of seaweed products for food service including Sugar Kelp, Wakame, Dulse, Laver/Nori, Sea Lettuce, Irish Moss, and Furikake seasonings in commercial packaging formats suitable for restaurants and commercial kitchens.
• Organic Microalgae Products Organic microalgae collection including Spirulina, Chlorella, and blended microalgae for food, supplement, and wellness use, shipped from the USA for reliable, tariff-free supply.
• Land-Based Ingredients Curated selection of land-based functional ingredients including Black Sesame Seeds, Organic Barley Grass Juice Powder, Ground Golden Flaxseed Meal, Whole Black Chia Seeds, and White Sesame Seeds designed to complement blending services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% of revenue from international markets with continued expansion
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on kelp cultivation and farming techniques research. This partnership, funded by NOAA grants, has resulted in more resilient seed stock and higher-yielding crops for Maine seaweed farmers. The research focuses on sustainable aquaculture practices.
• Nature Conservancy of MaineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Mitchell Lench serves on the Board of the Nature Conservancy of Maine. This board position indicates alignment on ocean conservation and sustainable marine resource management.
• Maine Seaweed CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple team members (David Labbe as board member, Greg Tobey as treasurer, Bonnie Tobey as President) serve on the Maine Seaweed Council, indicating industry leadership and collaboration with other Maine seaweed businesses.
• Maine Maritime AcademyminorOthersMaine Maritime Academy was recognized alongside Ocean's Balance at the MITC 2026 International Trade and Investment Awards (Service Provider of the Year). No specific partnership mentioned.
• Roux Institute at Northeastern UniversityminorOthersRoux Institute at Northeastern University was recognized alongside Ocean's Balance at the MITC 2026 International Trade and Investment Awards (Investor of the Year). No specific partnership mentioned.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Seagreens: UK-based organic seaweed ingredient supplier offering food-grade and supplement-grade seaweed with a focus on traceability and certification. Comparable in targeting premium, certified seaweed ingredient buyers.
• Mara Seaweed: UK-based premium seaweed brand and ingredient supplier serving retail and food service. Comparable product positioning in organic, sustainably sourced seaweed ingredients and snacks with B2B and DTC channels.
• Cascadia Seaweed: Pacific Northwest kelp cultivation and ingredient supplier serving food, agriculture, and cosmetics customers. Comparable business model of cultivated seaweed, nursery operations, and B2B ingredient supply.
• Atlantic Sea Farms: Maine-based kelp aquaculture and processing company working with fishermen to grow and sell sugar kelp. Direct competitor in the same North American seaweed ingredient category with overlapping B2B and DTC channels.
• Ocean Harvest Technology: Ireland-based seaweed ingredient company focused on animal feed and pet food applications. Comparable in targeting seaweed-as-functional-ingredient opportunities, particularly in pet nutrition and supplement categories.
• Maine Coast Sea Vegetables: Long-established Maine seaweed harvester and supplier offering retail and bulk seaweed products. Comparable in product format and geography, competing for the same Maine-sourced organic seaweed customer base.

Broad incumbents

• CP Kelco: Global leader in carrageenan, pectin, and other hydrocolloids. The most direct incumbent against Ocean's Balance's ReadyRed product, with established CPG relationships across meat, dairy, and jam applications.
• Acadian Seaplants: Canada's largest seaweed processor and the global leader in cultivated seaweed extracts. Larger incumbent offering overlapping seaweed ingredients, plant biostimulants, and human nutrition products across many geographies.
• DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences (now IFF): Major food ingredient conglomerate with hydrocolloid and texturizing portfolios including carrageenan. A likely competitor in carrageenan replacement and bulk seaweed ingredient supply to global CPG.
• Cargill (Seaweed & Algae Ingredients): Global food ingredient giant with algae-derived ingredients across food, feed, and supplements. An incumbent that could easily scale seaweed supply and compete directly on bulk ingredient contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/oceansbalance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocean's-balance
• Instagraminstagram.com/oceansbalanceinc

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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 Ocean's Balance