What Cold Current Kelp does

Cold Current Kelp is a women-owned skincare company founded in 2021 and headquartered in Kittery, Maine, that grows sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) on its own regenerative ocean farm and converts it into a single-SKU-family facial oil line sold under the registered KelpGlow® trademark. The product portfolio consists of a facial oil in three scent variants (Signature Citrus, Fragrance Free, Coastal Lavender) offered in full-size 1 fl oz ($68) and mini 0.34 fl oz ($28) formats, a Duo bundle ($125), and a limited-edition co-branded accessories line with Sea Bags Maine. The underlying technology is a proprietary toxin-free green extraction method designed to preserve kelp's bioactive compounds — fucoidan, laminarin, phlorotannins, fucoxanthin, and associated polysaccharides and amino acids — and patented UV-protective packaging that blocks light to maintain nutrient integrity and shelf life. Every bottle is traceable to the exact latitude and longitude of harvest off the Maine coast, and the company holds a registered KelpGlow® trademark plus a patent on the UV-protective bottle design.

The business operates a hybrid DTC and wholesale model. Direct-to-consumer sales run through a Shopify storefront with a subscription option (10% off recurring monthly orders) and a self-serve quiz funnel offering 20% off a first order. Wholesale is executed through direct outreach and the Faire B2B marketplace to over 40 retail partners across nine US states (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Arkansas, Iowa), composed of independent gift shops, spas, natural foods co-ops, and specialty retailers. International shipping is not currently offered, limiting the geographic footprint to the US. The company is privately held by co-founders Inga Potter (marine biologist) and Krista Rosen, has 1–10 employees, has received a federal grant award, and has accumulated notable earned media including NPR's How I Built This, TEDxPortsmouth, and WCVB Chronicle.

Name

Cold Current Kelp

Legal name

Cold Current Kelp LLC

Website

https://coldcurrentkelp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cold Current Kelp is a women-owned Maine company that farms sugar kelp and converts it into a kelp-based facial oil line (KelpGlow®) sold via Shopify DTC with subscriptions and through 40+ independent US retail partners. The company is privately held and bootstrapped, serving eco-conscious premium skincare consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Online sales through their Shopify storefront. Products include facial oils (full-size and mini), bundles, and branded merchandise. Subscription model offers 10% discount for recurring orders.
2. Wholesale/B2B: Sales to retail partners including gift shops, spas, natural foods co-ops, and specialty retailers. Available through Faire marketplace and direct wholesale inquiries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cold Current Kelp cultivates sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) on its own regenerative ocean farm off the Maine coast and uses a proprietary toxin-free green extraction method to preserve bioactive compounds for use in its KelpGlow® facial oil skincare line. Finished products are handcrafted in small batches using certified organic carrier oils and packaged in patented UV-protective bottles, then sold direct-to-consumer online and via wholesale to independent retailers.

Product overview

Cold Current Kelp is a women-owned Maine company that produces kelp-based skincare products. The core product line is the KelpGlow® Facial Oil family — available in three scent variants (Signature Citrus, Fragrance Free, and Coastal Lavender) in both full-size (1 fl oz / $68) and mini (0.34 fl oz / $28) formats, plus a Duo bundle ($125) combining Signature Citrus and Fragrance Free. All products feature regeneratively farmed Maine sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) extracted using a proprietary green method, combined with certified organic jojoba, argan, sunflower, plum, and sweet almond oils. The company also sells branded merchandise including trucker hats and a limited-edition collaboration wristlet with Sea Bags Maine that includes a complimentary KelpGlow Mini oil.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KelpGlow® Facial Oil: Primary skincare product line featuring Maine-grown sugar kelp extract facial oils available in multiple variants: Signature Citrus, Fragrance Free, and Coastal Lavender, in both full-size (1 fl oz) and mini (0.34 fl oz) formats.
• KelpGlow x Sea Bags

Quantifiable outcome

• Kelp is 20 times more efficient at absorbing carbon dioxide than terrestrial forests
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sea Bags MainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to create limited edition products including a Tote Bag ($215) and Wristlet ($60) crafted from recycled sails. The wristlet includes a KelpGlow mini facial oil. These co-branded products feature CCK's exclusive sugar kelp design.
• FairecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale marketplace enabling retailers to discover and purchase Cold Current Kelp products for resale. The company is listed on Faire with a direct link for wholesale orders.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform provider powering the company's online store, checkout, payment processing, and subscription management services.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Province Apothecary: Natural and organic skincare brand focused on small-batch, botanical formulations with sustainability messaging. Comparable as a small-batch indie clean beauty peer targeting eco-conscious consumers via similar wholesale and DTC channels.
• MARA Beauty: Beauty brand built around algae- and microalgae-derived skincare and supplement products marketed on sustainability and ocean-sourced bioactive compounds. Comparable as an emerging algae-centric beauty brand with overlapping ingredient sourcing and clean-beauty positioning.
• LOLI Beauty: Water-based and plant-derived indie skincare brand with sustainability-led packaging and traceable sourcing. Comparable as a sustainability-focused indie skincare competitor operating in the same eco-conscious premium segment.
• Dr. Roebuck's: Australian clean clinical skincare brand with limited-ingredient formulations positioned around purity and traceability. Comparable as an indie clean-beauty peer competing for the same eco-conscious, ingredient-savvy consumer, though without ocean-derived or kelp-specific sourcing.

Direct peers

• Atlantic Sea Farms: Maine-based kelp aquaculture cooperative that supports regenerative sugar kelp farming in the same North Atlantic waters as Cold Current. Comparable as a fellow regenerative kelp-farming operator with parallel geographic sourcing, though it sells kelp as a food ingredient rather than formulated skincare.
• Haeckels: UK-based skincare brand built around hand-harvested seaweed and kelp from the Kent coast. Most directly comparable peer because it pairs a vertically integrated seaweed-sourcing operation with a proprietary extraction-driven skincare range, mirroring Cold Current's farm-to-product model.

Broad incumbents

• Acure Organics: Mass-market clean beauty brand with a broad portfolio of plant- and algae-derived skincare sold through mainstream retail. Comparable as a clean beauty incumbent that competes in the same algae/plant skincare category, though at much larger scale and lower price points.
• Phytomer: French marine skincare brand with a multi-decade history formulating with seaweed and marine extracts for spas and retailers. Comparable as a marine-ingredient clean beauty incumbent, though broader in product range and globally distributed rather than regenerative-ocean-focused.
• OSEA Malibu: Established ocean-inspired skincare brand using seaweed and marine botanicals across a broad multi-product portfolio. Comparable as a marine-derived clean beauty incumbent, though at meaningfully larger scale and without vertically integrated seaweed farming.

Others

• Saje Natural Wellness: Natural wellness brand offering essential-oil-driven skincare, body care, and home products with an emphasis on plant-based formulations. Comparable as a natural-ingredient wellness brand operating in adjacent clean beauty and self-care categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/coldcurrentkelp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cold-current-kelp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Cold Current Kelp