August 12, 2022
Māori firm Agrisea finds hi-tech uses for seaweed
A company that turns seaweed into animal health products and fertiliser has won the Māori section of this year’s New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards.
Tāne Bradley, who with his wife Clare runs the Agrisea business set up by his mother and stepfather 25 years ago, says its product range is the result of years of research into the properties of the native ecklonia Radiata seaweed.
Mr Bradley says there have been a lot of doubters along the way.
“It’s been a struggle and a bit of a whawhai and a bit of a pakanga at some times. we were quite fringe for a long time. This particular award and seeing all the beautiful people there and the aroha that has been shared since really helps distil that the mahi that we are doing is right,” he says.
The award acknowledges Agrisea’s recent partnership with crown forest science institute Scion to turn seaweed waste from the fertiliser business into nanocellulose hydrogels which could replace petroleum-based polymers in a range of products including burn wound dressings, biomedical engineering applications, drug delivery, cosmetics, and plant health products.
The Bradleys have also formed the Aotearoa New Zealand Seaweed Association to encourage growth in the sector.