Hortimare

About Hortimare

Hortimare is a Netherlands-based seaweed specialist working globally to support the development of seaweed farming and related ecosystem applications. The company positions itself as one of the few firms focused on the breeding and propagation of seaweed, combining seeds, technology, and expertise to help clients move from concept to scalable production.

Its work spans the full early-stage value chain for seaweed projects: supplying starting material, developing cultivation protocols, supporting hatchery and nursery systems, and helping customers manage technical and biological challenges. Hortimare presents itself as a collaborative partner for farmers, researchers, and project developers seeking more predictable yields, better control over seed supply, and a stronger business case for seaweed cultivation.

Core Values

• Collaboration: Hortimare repeatedly emphasizes working with farmers, researchers, local communities, and other partners to build seaweed projects. Its approach is framed around shared expertise and joint problem-solving.
• Quality and control: The company stresses clean, stable cultures, strict controls, quality checks, and predictable seed performance. This focus is intended to reduce bottlenecks and improve consistency in farming outcomes.
• Innovation: Hortimare invests in new cultivation methods, direct seeding technologies, land-based systems, and species domestication. It presents ongoing R&D as central to expanding what seaweed farming can achieve.
• Practical problem-solving: The company highlights hands-on technical assistance, tailored solutions, and operational support across different environments. Its services are designed to address real-world constraints in scaling seaweed production.
• Sustainability: Hortimare links its work to sustainable farming practices and ecosystem impact, including nutrient management and climate-related applications. It frames seaweed as a tool for both commercial and environmental outcomes.

Unique Aspects

• Large seaweed gene bank: Hortimare says it maintains more than 7,000 distinct kelp gametophyte lines and 300+ red algae lines, giving it a broad base for seed supply, breeding, and domestication work.
• Global project experience: The company states it has collaborated on more than 25 seaweed projects across the world over the past decade, indicating experience across different geographies and cultivation models.
• End-to-end seaweed support: Hortimare combines seed supply, breeding, domestication, technical support, and ecosystem-service work under one roof, which is unusual in a still-developing sector.
• Traditional breeding approach: The company notes that all registered and commercially available varieties were obtained through traditional plant-breeding methods, and that it has no genetically modified varieties for commercial use.
• Named collaborations and case studies: Public case studies include work with GreenWave, Seaweedland, Huiro Regenerativo, and Greener Grazing, showing involvement in seed banks, land-based cultivation, farming communities, and methane-reduction applications.