About Kai Ho
Kai Ho ‘Oceans Treasure’ (also Tasmanian Sea Vegetables) is a business focusing on harvesting, processing and marketing seaweeds for the edible market. Primarily using Tasmanian sourced products, Kai Ho plans to be a leader in supplying Australian sourced edible seaweed products. Building on the Tasmanian brand for excellent seafoods, Kai Ho are focussed on quality and reliability of supply.
Kai Ho was started in 2013 as a partnership between Dr Craig Sanderson, a seaweed biologist, and James Ashmore of Ashmore Foods Tasmanian, a major Australian seafood producer, processor and marketer. The products are marketed and sold through Ashmore Foods. All Kai Ho seaweeds are locally foraged and harvested sustainably.
Our principle product, the introduce algae, Undaria pinnatifida (also known as Wakame) was first discovered in 1988 on Tasmanias mid east coast. The alga has since been reported from St Helens (NE coast) to Dover (S coast) and on the Australian mainland at a number of locations on the Victorian coast. It was thought to have been originally introduced into Tasmania via the ballast water of ships trading from Asia. Undaria products form the basis of the Kai Ho product range.
Our Products
Our Undaria is harvested either by James Ashmore or selected divers.
Wakame
Our dried Wakame is produced from wild grown, hand harvested Undaria found in the pristine waters of Tasmania's South and East Coasts. The upper leaves of the Undaria plant are used for Kai Ho Wakame. It has been processed using our Unique Processing System and freeze dried to best preserve plant nutrients. This popular form is used widely in miso soup and salads. Dried product is available in 30g and 100g packets. Bulk mounts can be made available on enquiry.
Mekabu
Dried Mekabu is made using Undaria wild grown and hand harvested from the pristine waters of Tasmania's South East Coast. Mekabu is the ruffled frills at the base of the Undaria plant, highly prized for its health benefits. Mekabu is well known for its fucoidan content which has health promoting properties including antiviral activities. This product is naturally dried. The texture of the hydrated product allows for use in soups, salads, traditional Japanese pickles. Dried product is available in 30g and 100g packets
Seaweed Cultivation in Tasmania
Kai Ho Tasmanian Sea Vegetables is involved in culturing of seaweeds in Tasmania.The aim is to produce a variety of marketable native seaweeds. So far culturing trials have included the threatened giant kelp species Macrocystis pyrifera, Strap Weed or Tasmanian Kombu: Lessonia corrugata and the common Australian Kelp: Ecklonia radiata. These all have commercial value including potential use in edible products. Culturing of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera is being conducted on behalf of Eaglehawk Dive Centre who are involved in reafforestation trials on the Tasman Peninsula.
Other seaweeds previously marketed by Kai Ho include Red Lettuce or Grateloupia turuturu, Green Lettuce or Ulva sp, Green sea fingers or Codium fragile, Mermaids Necklace or Chaetomorpha coliformis.
Kai Ho has previously sold seaweeds to Heston Blumenthal when his restuarant the Fat Duck was operating in Melbourne. the Fat Duck is a three Michelin star restaurant which is widely regarded as one of the best in the world.
Kai Ho currently supplies distributors on mainland Australia as well as to some of the higher end restuarants in Hobart. Enquire from Ashmores for your closest supplier or order online.
Partners in our programs have included:
www.seacare.org.au
www.eaglehawkdive.com.au
www.seaforest.com.au
www.ashmorefoods.com.au
Connect with Us
Instagram: @tasseaveges
Twitter: @TasSeaVeg
Facebook: Kai Ho Sea Vegetables Tasmania