Algamar Products

Algamar - Galicia (Spain) - the underwater vegetable garden of Southern Europe

Galicia (northwestern Spain) has 35% of the total Spanish coastline. It is a region with an abundance and wide diversity of marine species and a deep- rooted seafaring tradition. Its location, between the 42nd and 44th parallels, is, strangely enough, on the same latitude as the coasts of Japan. Algamar is the leading Spanish firm specialising in dried sea vegetables for human consumption.

The company was founded in 1996 by the Fernández Sáa brothers, Clemente and Fermín, consumers and producers of organic foods since the 1970s, with the aim of promoting and spreading the word about the marvellous nutritional properties of Galicia's native sea vegetables.

Its headquarters are in the Bay of Vigo, 18 km from the city of Vigo and 30 km north of the Portuguese border. Most of the company's sea vegetables are harvested on the southern coast of Galicia, designated part of the European Union's Natura 2000 network and very close to the Atlantic Islands Natural Reserve.

Algamar - ecology and the environment

Some of the oldest living beings on the planet, sea vegetables are also some of the few wild vegetables in the world - a true luxury in these times. They constitute a natural resource that renews itself every year in the sea, making them a stable and sustainable food source.
Another of Algamar's objectives is to run its production facilities completely on renewable energy. Algamar is also participating in the programme to plant 100 million trees in Spain to help combat climate change.

Algamar - social concerns

The firm is based in a rural area categorised as being at risk of depopulation. ALGAMAR provides jobs for local people, thus allowing them to stay in their place of origin and help to keep their social and cultural values alive.
Since it was founded, the firm has cooperated closely with the local fishermen's guilds, offering them an innovative alternative to their traditional fishing activities.

It is also currently participating in a Spanish ethical business initiative.

Algamar - scientific aspect

Since 1998, Algamar has cooperated with the prestigious Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) (Department of Metabolism and Nutrition), the University of Santiago de Compostela (Food Sciences) and the Complutense University of Madrid (Pharmacy) in various studies relating to the potential of native edible sea vegetables.

The CSIC is currently working on a "new foods" project based on Algamar's sea vegetables.