Cascadia Seaweed

Cascadia Seaweed is a Canadian ocean-cultivation and agri-biotech company that grows local kelp species on marine farms off the coast of British Columbia, in partnership with coastal First Nations, and processes the harvest into agricultural inputs. The company describes itself as North America's largest ocean cultivator of kelp for agricultural products. Its core commercial line is a family of liquid kelp extracts — biostimulants rich in bioactive compounds — marketed to large-scale crop producers to improve nutrient-use efficiency, abiotic stress resilience, crop yield and quality, while allowing farmers to reduce chemical inputs. Branded products include Kelpivex and RegenaKelp, available across Canada, and FieldKelp, available in most US states. A dried feed-additive line, Agrifeeds, is positioned as a clean source of minerals, micronutrients and protein for livestock and remains in research and development. The company was founded by Bill Collins, Michael Williamson and Tony Ethier. Collins was developing business cases to attract foreign direct investment for the Vancouver Island Economic Development Alliance, including sustainable aquaculture; Williamson was investigating opportunities for his next project; together with Ethier they identified potential in a scalable business that enhances the natural environment and creates economic opportunity for Indigenous and coastal communities. The founders frame the venture around climate change, arguing that solutions come from the sea: kelp forests, like terrestrial forests, capture carbon, produce oxygen, mitigate acidification and absorb excess nutrients. Cascadia Seaweed operates a vertically integrated supply chain — cultivation, harvest and natural processing — which it presents as a reliability advantage for farmers adopting new inputs. The company is headquartered in Sidney, British Columbia, and sells primarily into Canadian and US agricultural markets. It positions itself as farmer-led, noting that its team includes farmers who understand tight margins, regulatory pressure and climate risk. In third-party trials cited on its website, the company reports yield increases of 21% from its liquid kelp extracts. Ownership is private; the company is not publicly listed.

Cascadia Seaweed was founded by Bill Collins, Michael Williamson and Tony Ethier. According to the company's own account, the idea emerged from a conversation between Collins and Williamson. Collins was working on behalf of the Vancouver Island Economic Development Alliance, developing business cases to attract foreign direct investment, one of which concerned sustainable aquaculture. Williamson, meanwhile, was investigating opportunities for his next project. Together with Ethier, they concluded there was substantial potential in building a scalable business that would enhance the natural environment while providing economic opportunity for Indigenous and coastal communities. The founders built the company around the premise that climate change is the most pressing issue of the time, affecting the environment, human health, the economy and daily life, and that climate-related events such as fires, floods and droughts hinder the ability to produce enough food for a growing population. Their answer was to look to the sea. Seaweeds are plant-like marine organisms categorized by pigment into red, green and brown groups, with more than 10,000 species worldwide; kelps are a recognizable group of brown canopy seaweeds, of which British Columbia has around 30 species. Like terrestrial forests, underwater kelp forests are critical ecosystems that provide shelter and food, capture carbon, produce oxygen, mitigate acidification and absorb excess nutrients. Cascadia Seaweed therefore established marine kelp farms in British Columbia in partnership with coastal First Nations, growing local kelp species. The harvested seaweed is processed using natural processing technology into products for large-scale crop producers. The company has grown into what it describes as North America's largest ocean cultivator of kelp for agricultural products, operating a vertically integrated supply chain from cultivation through harvest to processing. Commercially, the company's main line is liquid kelp extracts — biostimulants rich in bioactive compounds — sold under the brands Kelpivex and RegenaKelp in Canada and FieldKelp in most US states. These products are marketed to enhance nutrient uptake, improve stress tolerance, promote balanced plant growth and increase crop yield and quality, while integrating easily into existing farm practices. The company cites a third-party trial showing a 21% yield increase. A second line, Agrifeeds dried feed additives for livestock, offers minerals, micronutrients, protein and omega-3 with strong prebiotic activity and a low inclusion rate, and remains in research and development. The company is headquartered in Sidney, British Columbia, and remains privately held.

• Bill Collins, Michael Williamson and Tony Ethier found Cascadia Seaweed after identifying potential in scalable sustainable aquaculture.

• Company establishes marine kelp farms in British Columbia in partnership with coastal First Nations.

• Kelpivex and RegenaKelp liquid kelp extracts become available across Canada.

• FieldKelp liquid kelp extract becomes available in most US states.

• Company reports a 21% yield increase in a third-party trial of its liquid kelp extracts.

Farmer-led, vertically integrated producer of natural kelp-based biostimulants and feed additives for large-scale agriculture, emphasizing yield gains, reduced chemical inputs and climate resilience.

• Kelpivex

  Liquid kelp extract biostimulant available across Canada.

• RegenaKelp

  Liquid kelp extract biostimulant available across Canada.

• FieldKelp

  Liquid kelp extract biostimulant available in most US states.

• Agrifeeds

  Dried feed additives for livestock, in research and development; source of minerals, micronutrients, protein and omega-3 with strong prebiotic activity.

1. 1Cascadia Seaweedcascadiaseaweed.com
2. 2About — Cascadia Seaweedcascadiaseaweed.com
3. 3Product Overview — Cascadia Seaweedcascadiaseaweed.com
4. 4Cascadia Seaweed (Canada) — Wikidatawikidata.org