FORMER journalist Fiona Houston set up Mara Seaweed nearly 10 years ago to raise the profile of Scottish seaweed globally. The Edinburgh-based company sells organic certified seaweed flakes, hand harvested from Scottish waters.
Name: Fiona Houston
Position: CEO and founder
WHAT IS THE BUSINESS CALLED?
Mara Seaweed
WHERE IS IT BASED?
Edinburgh
WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS?
I MOVED back from the US to Scotland in 2003. I worked as a journalist there. I hatched a plan in the school playground with my friends about forgotten foods in Scotland that we used to eat.
Seaweed is valued all over the world and no-one was doing anything valuable with it here.
I wrote a book about seaweed in 2008 [Seaweed and Eat It: A Family Foraging and Cooking Adventure] and through that we spent a lot of time going out at low tides. In Japan they love seaweed and they are one of the healthiest countries in the world.
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We set up the business in 2011 and we have been growing ever since. I wrote a business plan in 2011 and spent a year playing with the brand, products and recipes and how to build a sustainable business from a resource not in the food chain. I have always wanted my own business. My dad was an entrepreneur. I love the creativity of running my own business. Every day is a new problem to solve. It’s a very creative process and you feel you are growing something.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
SEAWEED can transform people’s health and food. When they try it they get into it. It’s healthy salt that allows you to improve your salt content and mineral intake.
We stocked up with our main suppliers two weeks ago – Morrison’s, Amazon and Tesco.
We’ve got staff on furlough and we are reviewing the situation every week to see what’s happening with coronavirus. We have a customer in the States selling home delivery meal boxes containing the product.
It’s about taking time to make plans and readjust.
WHAT IS YOUR TARGET MARKET?
IT has changed slightly since we started. We were targeting creative home chefs and foodies but the real target market is people who are interested in healthy eating.
The flavours of seaweed are amazing and people get excited when they understand the health benefits. Compared to a few years ago more people understand that seaweed is very good for you. More people have even eaten sushi in the past five years. We’re trying to get across that we sell seaweed native to Scotland.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?
THE challenge is getting consumers to understand they should eat seaweed on a daily basis. The competition is buying seaweed as opposed to herbs, spices or Himalayan salt.
IS SCOTLAND A GOOD PLACE FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS?
IT is. In general there is a good infrastructure for business support here. There are lots of established family food businesses like Walkers and McPhees.
It’s an exciting time for seaweed in Scotland. There’s a huge potential market and it’s exciting to see the growth of this new sector. The more products that are out there, the better it is for everyone.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
I GET an enormous amount of fulfilment seeing what I’ve worked hard on come into fruition. I like working with the team to see the business grow. I wouldn’t want to do it alone.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
IT is hardest doing the job day to day and planning for the future at the same time.
We’re ambitious and want to scale up.
We are on the Tesco Brand Accelerator programme. It’s a massive opportunity and we need to finance growth.
I am doing a course at the moment at Strathclyde University as part of Entrepreneurial Scotland.
You can learn a lot from other business owners.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS’ TIME?
THE vision for the company is to grow a global brand harvesting seaweed for food and health.
We have plans to launch more health and wellbeing products in the future.
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