New Heritage, a blue food tech company based on seaweed, is expanding its overseas market by utilizing natural antioxidant materials that slow the spoilage of seasoned seaweed. Since its establishment in 2023, the company has expanded its business scope from finished products to business-to-business (B2B) transactions, exporting to a cumulative total of 20 countries as of August this year.
In collaboration with the Fisheries Processing Research Laboratory at Gyeongsang National University, New Heritage developed a natural antioxidant material using polyphenol compounds from red algae. This technology aims to reduce spoilage and off-flavors that can occur during long-distance transportation, thereby extending the shelf life of seasoned seaweed. The material is produced in liquid form and can be added to existing seasoned oils, allowing for application on production lines without the need for additional equipment.
The company offers finished products under the SEAART FOOD and Bada Hyang brands, including seasoned seaweed, seaweed nachos, seaweed shrimp chips, and seaweed protein bars. They have also entered into a licensing agreement with the global character Baby Shark (Pinkfong) to launch seaweed nachos for children, leveraging content intellectual property (IP) for product development. This strategy combines finished product sales, IP collaborations, and B2B materials to broaden their business portfolio centered around seaweed.
New Heritage is also expanding its international distribution channels. The number of export countries has increased from four in the early stages of the company to 20 as of August this year, with markets now including the United States, Japan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. The company has secured nine intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks, and designs, and has been recognized with the Minister of SMEs and Startups Award and the GD Award in 2024, as well as being selected as an excellent product in the Seoul Awards this year.
This year, New Heritage was selected as a participant in the '2026 Marine and Fisheries Accelerating Program Unicorn Bay,' operated by the startup investment accelerator CNT Tech. Based on this, the company plans to accelerate commercialization, investment, and research and development (R&D) connections, focusing on B2B supply of natural antioxidant materials and the development of long-distance export markets.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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