How we've helped Little Green Seaweed

It was an exceptionally busy year in 2024 as Jacqui and her fiancé Dan juggled launching the brand with raising their 18-month-old daughter, Aurora.

Supported by the Growth Hub, and at least four business support partners, the past 12 months have seen Jacqui carry out essential market research, gain a licence from the Duchy of Cornwall to harvest the seaweed at Perranuthnoe beach, source packaging and launch her first product.

By Autumn, Jacqui sold 300 units of liquid seaweed fertiliser through a wholesale network of six garden centres.

Little Green Seaweed has received support from Unlocking Potential, Plymouth University, University of Exeter and Outset Cornwall. This saw Jacqui forging strong relationships with environmental specialist Jennie Wason at Unlocking Potential and business strategist Verity Wilkinson at Plymouth University.

Her first port of call to access this support was through the Growth Hub.

Jacqui said: “My background isn’t in business, so I’ve been learning as I go along. Whilst I was researching the science behind seaweed and the permaculture market, I wanted to see what support there was for setting up a business. I contacted the Growth Hub, and very quickly they introduced me to lots of support.

“In business, you have to be your own cheerleader. This is why the support has been so important."

Jacqui has since been reflecting on some of the highlights and challenges of 2024, and how she plans to forge ahead in 2025.

She said: “Overall, I’ve been able to establish lovely relationships - from the garden centres who sell our products to the business support teams, and meeting other business owners on courses and at markets.

“I enjoy selling at farmers markets because I get to talk to people face to  face and get feedback. It drives my next steps and actions in the business.

“This year (2025), we have a full harvesting season so I’m looking to upscale production - potentially looking at finding a larger workshop, doubling up our equipment and increasing our production two-fold. We will be launching some new products, based on feedback from the garden centres about what customers are looking for.

“I also want to get research projects started with Exeter and Plymouth which will explore future innovation of working with seaweed and I am exploring Soil Association accreditation and B Corp.”