© Magma Seaweed
Normandy is famous for its shellfish farming – producing more than 25,000 tonnes of oysters and 16,000 tonnes of mussels each year. However, despite being the grand-daughter of one of the region’s oyster producing pioneers, Sophie Perdriel decided to embark on her own adventure – in land-based seaweed aquaculture.
‘’I have a bit of an unconventional career path – my first ambition was in the development of marine energy. So, I studied public affairs and the environment. However, I changed my mind and wanted to do something more meaningful; so I returned to Normandy. Seaweed farming is not developed in this region, but I believe it has a lot of potential,’’ she explains.
In France, the vast majority of seaweed is currently wild-harvested or rope-grown – approaches that are at the mercy of tides, closures and shifting year-to-year yields. Wild harvesters in Brittany, for example, must follow strict cutting heights and rotating no-take zones to avoid depleting stocks and, even then, some seasons yield very little.
As a result, when Perdriel established Magma Seaweed in 2023, her vison was to produce seaweed of consistent quality all year-round, so she opted for land-based farming.
“Standardisation is very important,’’ she emphasises, ‘’especially for industrial customers who need a stable resource when they formulate and manufacture their products.’’
Land-based also allows for a tailor-made aspect. As Perdriel explains: “for food, they want high protein; for cosmetics, it’s the polysaccharides — the sugars inside.”
In order to achieve this the company has been trialling using different genetics and with manipulating nutrition levels. While adding nutrients can be beneficial, but so can limiting nutrients, as this can trigger the production of additional valuable molecules.
A hybrid production model
Magma’s operations are currently at an R&D scale and based in modest tanks at Synergie Mer et Littoral (SMEL), in Blainville-sur-Mer.
There they have successfully completed a year of adapting wild seaweed to tank environments, to ensure it can thrive in the relatively high temperatures and with lower rates of water exchange, so they can focus on developing the strongest specimens.
“We managed to select seaweeds... adapting them to a domestic environment — which is not that easy because the temperatures are higher, and the water is not in constant flow,” Perdriel reflects.
While they await raising the necessary funds – and gaining the necessary permissions – to build their own farm, they are working with some of the region’s many shellfish producers, trialling seaweed production in the shellfish depuration tanks.
As Perdriel explains, most farmers’ tanks are dormant for several months of the year and it only takes one month, for example, to grow Ulva to harvest size.
‘’These farmers have tanks that are not necessarily used year-round. It is an opportunity for me to increase my production capacity, and for them to diversify their income when their ponds are not in use. It’s a win-win,” she points out.
While she admits that many shellfish farmers were initially sceptical about growing seaweed – not least as none of them had tried it before – Perdriel has noted growing interest, interest that will be further piqued if the early adopters succeed in generating additional income.
“At the beginning, we were judged a lot. They said we were crazy. Now they’re starting to be interested,” she reflects.
Initial results are due this autumn and, if successful, Perdriel aims to offer two partnership models: one involving Magma renting the tanks from the shellfish farmers for their own use, the other being a partnership arrangement whereby farmers participate in the production processes and share revenues with the startup.
© Magma Seaweed
A large-scale farm
As well as working with shellfish farmers, Perdriel ultimately wants to establish her own farm, at a site close to the coast. The company is aiming to develop an industrial farm, with a 90 tonne annual production capacity. The site they have in mind is close to a major oyster production centre, and Perdriel is keen to explore the possibility of using the outflow from the depuration tanks to help increase the growth rates of her seaweeds.
Although the ongrowing would take place in outdoor tanks, it will require major infrastructure, including an intake pipe for sea water and an indoor hatchery, nursery and laboratories.
In terms of species, Magma is currently focusing on Ulva sp. and Palmaria palmata – due to expensive inland production costs, it’s essential to target high-value seaweed species and markets.
Perdriel is also keen to add Nori (Pyropia sp.) production, which – taking place in tanks, rather than the sea – is a potential industry first. However, she is aware that competing with low-cost Asian production will require differentiation through composition modification or innovative processing, with potential applications including using Nori extracts as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic cosmetic ingredients.
“Ultimately, the goal is to differentiate ourselves [from Asian products] and focus on slightly more complex species, with higher added value,” explains Perdriel.
She also emphasises the advantages of her land-based French-raised seaweed.
‘’First of all, we are French, so there is a bit of a brand image. But actually, the strategy is to also to grow algae that they [Asian farmers] don't cultivate, with active ingredients or components that are of interest to different industries,’’ she points out.
Perdriel also highlights the environmental benefits she can offer by reducing the need for long distance transport.
‘’The goal is also to supply food processors and cosmetic manufacturers, either locally or at the national level. This has a clear impact on CO₂ emissions – seaweed grown in Normandy [and processed in France] produces less CO₂ than transporting seaweed [to France] from Chile,’’ Perdriel explains.
© Magma Seaweed
Funding and scaling
In terms of funding, Magma’s development so far has been aided by both subsidies and zero-interest loans. But they’re likely to look for outside investment within a year.
‘’It's now a bit of a pivotal moment where I'm going to look for investors, whether private or public, to seek funding to continue developing the company,’’ she explains.
The company is initially looking for around €300,000 in order to scale production in shellfish farmers’ depuration tanks, due to the need to adapt many of the tanks in order to ensure ideal seaweed production parameters.
However, once they have received the necessary permissions to go ahead with their own farm, they will seek to raise an additional €4 million and the team hopes to have its own grow-out operations established by 2027.
While it might seem like a substantial sum, Perdriel is confident that Magma are in a strong position to succeed thanks to their unique approach, which combines established partnerships with shellfish farmers, rigorous species selection and research, and a growing network of connections with possible customers.
“I’m from an oyster farming family with visionaries. Maybe I’m not conscious of the risk. Or maybe I’m just stubborn. But I’m definitely convinced that inland seaweed production must be developed in Normandy and elsewhere,” Perdriel concludes.
