Convincing the world to EAT MORE KELP
Courtney Boyd Myers, Founder, CEO, AKUA, USA
Conference
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Seagriculture Speaker
Seagriculture USA
6 - 7 September 2023
Portland, ME, USA
About the speaker:
Courtney Boyd Myers is an entrepreneur, environmentalist, and writer. Prior to launching AKUA, she helped build the Summit Community, a global network of founders, creatives, and innovators. Previously, she helped market companies such as Four Sigmatic and Unframed Ice Cream. She began her career as a journalist at Forbes Magazine and The Next Web and has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. She currently serves as an advisor to GreenWave.
Company info:
AKUA is an innovation focused, conscious company on a mission to bring blue foods to the mainstream market. We're the first company to pioneer meat and seafood-alt products from ocean-farmed kelp, which is making waves as both a health food trend and a regenerative agriculture trend. Ocean-farmed kelp is often described as the culinary equivalent of the electric car because it has massive environmental benefits & is super healthy to eat. AKUA's brand resonates deeply with hundreds of thousands of customers because we care deeply about human health, environmental & ocean health, and making our impact taste extremely delicious.
Presentation:
Courtney Boyd Myers, founder and CEO of AKUA shares lessons from her 7-year journey building a consumer market for kelp-based foods.
Interview:
1) When was the first time you got involved with seaweeds and why?
In April 2016, I was invited to tour GreenWave's kelp farm in Connecticut's Thimble Islands. From the moment I heard the story of regenerative aquaculture and ate my first piece of farmed kelp, I was hooked. Shortly after, I became an adviser to GreenWave and organized our 2017 "Bike the Shoreline" event where 25 bikers cycled from New Haven, CT to Cape Cod and raised over $25,000 in a weekend for GreenWave to support their ocean farmer training programs.
2) What is your view on the US seaweed industry in 2030?
In 7 years from now, I expect to see climate-related government subsidies for growing regeneratively farmed seaweeds, which puts more money into farmer's pockets and brings the costs down so that more brands and businesses enter the space. I also expect Alaska will be a formidable global player in the coming years, surpassing New England's output by 2030.
3) What will you be talking about at Seagriculture USA 2023?
How to get people to EAT MORE KELP!