Specialising in sea vegetables

Galicia (northwestern Spain) has 35% of the total Spanish coastline. It is a region with an abundance and wide diversity of marine species and has a deeply-rooted seafaring tradition. Its location, between the 42nd and 44th parallels, is, strangely enough, on the same latitude as the coasts of Japan.

We were pioneers

Algamar was established in 1996 by two brothers, Clemente and Fermín Fernández Sáa, with the aim of promoting and spreading the wonderful nutritional properties of the native marine algae from Galicia.

Renewable Energies

High-efficiency photovoltaic panels

In 2013, the Algamar factory was covered with high-efficiency photovoltaic panels, generating electricity for the company in a clean and renewable way.

Biomass boiler system

In 2014, a second factory was built, and new dryers were incorporated with a biomass boiler system, powered by forest residues from the area — another step forward in support of local and renewable resources and energy sovereignty.

Harvesting, drying and preparation

Algamar is a pioneer in the harvesting, processing and direct production of sea vegetables and has the legal recognition of the Autonomous Regional Government and its Department of Fishing, Shellfishing and Aquiculture. We use edible algae studied by specialised and internationally accepted official bodies. As harvesters of wild edible algae, the company has a “Waters Exploitation Plan”, approved annually by the public Fishing Authority and published in the Official Bulletin of Galicia (DOGA). This plan guarantees that the resources taken from the sea are renewable and maintain the balance of the ecosystem.

The algae are collected by hand on the rocks and usually in the water, selecting and cutting the adult plants at their optimum point of development, just before they wither.

Following their selection and harvesting from the sea, the fresh algae are checked, subjected to a second selection process and then desiccated in drying chambers, at a low temperature, for human consumption as a dehydrated vegetable. In this way the air and the algae’s own sea salt provide long-lasting, natural preservation.

Low temperature (< 42 °C) drying preserves the maximum nutritional value.

The company’s modern, stainless steel facilities, which it designed itself, can dry up to 10 tons of freshly-harvested algae a day. This makes some 1000 kilos of dehydrated sea vegetables, ready to be packaged in sheets or to be ground for use as an ingredient in one of the products made with algae.

Studies and informative activities

This is one of our fundamental activities, bearing in mind the lack of knowledge among consumers about sea vegetables.
When Algamar was founded, its work was without precedent in Spain. The company carried out a study of all the native species with the direct assessment of experts in nutrition, both from Spain and other European countries, as well as with the valuable support of the universities.
Once this data had been collated and satisfactory analytical and scientific results had been achieved, our sea vegetables were ready to be presented to the public.
We began therefore on the task of placing Galician Sea Vegetables and information about them in the public eye, to allow the consumer to make his or her own evaluation of them.

FEMPA 2024 Aid Program

Project Title:
Improvements in the production process for health guarantee.

Project Description:

Implementation of a cold storage chamber for the reception of raw materials.
Improvements in the transport and drying processes of fresh seaweed.

Financial Data:

Total Investment: €140,782.81
EU Aid: €49,273.99
Aid from the Xunta de Galicia: €21,117.42

Duration:

From August 2024 to December 2024.