Hatch Blue has launched an expanded Seaweed Insights platform, delivering the first region-wide, data-driven view of the macroalgae sector across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

Building on validated research models previously deployed in Asia and Alaska, this expansion targets LAC – an under-mapped but high-potential region with extensive coastlines, strong biodiversity, and growing demand for sustainable marine inputs. The platform addresses a critical market inefficiency: the lack of reliable, standardized data on where seaweed is produced, at what scale, and by which actors.

By closing this data gap, Seaweed Insights enables:

• Identification of investment-ready supply chains
• Early discovery of scalable seaweed production hubs
• Reduced diligence risk for aquaculture, climate, and bio-based investments

LAC represents a priority geography for regenerative blue-economy growth, with the potential to support climate-positive production, resilient coastal livelihoods, and emerging global markets in food, materials, and biostimulants. Hatch Blue’s platform positions itself as the foundational intelligence layer for investors seeking early exposure to this fast-growing sector. This initiative was made possible through the support of four primary funding partners: Builders Vision Philanthropy, Mustardseed Trust, The Nest Family Office, and the Center for Applied Aquaculture Innovation (iAlumbra). These partners emphasize the importance of data-driven growth to foster an equitable and resilient seaweed industry.

The final study covered six key producing countries, with fieldwork conducted between July and November 2025. Project Manager at Hatch Blue, Karlotta Rieve and her partner, spent 3 weeks on the ground in St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Venezuela during July and August, followed by another 3 weeks across Chile and Brazil during October and November. The team interviewed more than 75 farmers and visited 15 major production sites across 20 farming regions, including 10 islands, capturing data on cultivation practices and supply-chain dynamics.

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Interviews conducted by country/region in Latin America and the Caribbean (2025) 

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The project documented the region’s primary farmed red seaweed groups, including eucheumatoids and Gracilaria species, which form the commercial backbone of the industry. It also aimed to document giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). However, due to an insufficient sample size, giant kelp was excluded from the standardized comparisons, as only two active farms were identified in Chile.

Regional and national trends

In the Caribbean, Saint Lucia remains the regional leader, accounting for 50–60% of total production and supported by a workforce of around 800 farmers. Meanwhile, Grenada has expanded its industry through notable government collaboration, particularly via the Ministry of the Blue Economy. 

In contrast, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is focused on a critical rebuilding phase after Hurricane Beryl caused major infrastructure damage in 2024. Across Caribbean countries, women are driving innovation by leading value addition in cosmetics and food products, although the sector remains highly vulnerable to climate stressors.

Hand-harvesting seaweed, St Lucian

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In South America, Chile leads South America’s seaweed sector, but 97% of supply is still wild-harvested. The farming of seaweed has been primarily based on the agar agar obtaining Gracilaria (Agarophyton chilensis) for decades. Yet, in the recent decade, this sector has been struggling. Beach prices are falling as there is a market monopoly with one single processing operation left in the country. 

In Venezuela, the industry has expanded rapidly since 2019, reaching the second seaweed producer position in the region led by integrated companies like TIDE that support over 350 small-scale producers. 

Longlines at the TIDE seaweed farm on Margarita Island, Venezuela.

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Brazil’s industry is increasingly professionalized, particularly in Santa Catarina, where seaweed farming is co-located in aquaculture parks alongside shellfish. The market here is uniquely driven by a strong demand for liquid biostimulants in the country’s vast agricultural sector.

Floating seeding platform, Santa Catarina, Brazil

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Foundations for Regional Expansion

The report finds that regional expansion is as much an organizational challenge as a technical one. Integrated, community-based models that connect farmers and entrepreneurs are identified as the most promising pathways for future growth. In Brazil contract-farming structures have helped secure market access and stable pricing for smallholders.

Further growth also depends on climate-resilient farm designs, including improved seeding quality. In Chile and Brazil, strategic research is increasingly focused on genetic biobanks and strain selection to develop varieties better suited to local environments. In addition, clear regulatory frameworks and fair market conditions are needed to improve market stability and ensure reliable access for producers.

The full regional analysis and database are now available via an open-access digital platform. To explore the findings, visit https://seaweedinsights.com/. For inquiries regarding the project or potential partnerships, contact karlotta@hatch.blue.

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