SEAWEED

THE FOUNDATION OF MARINE LIFE

Long before the age of dinosaurs, seaweeds were already thriving — organisms capable of absorbing water and nutrients through their entire body surface. Today's land plants descend from these ancient green algae, making seaweeds among the oldest living organisms on our planet.

NATURAL WATER PURIFIERS

Seaweeds live in harmony with their environment, filtering carbon dioxide and excess nutrients from the water. In the eutrophic Baltic Sea, this natural filtration plays a vital role in restoring marine health — every hectare of cultivated seaweed actively removes nitrogen and phosphorus from the water.

OXYGEN PRODUCERS

Seaweeds are the underwater forests of our oceans. They absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen — approximately 90% of the Earth's atmospheric oxygen originates from algae. These underwater forests provide habitat, shelter, and food for countless fish, invertebrates, and other marine species, forming the ecological foundation of the Baltic Sea coastal environment.

A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SOURCE

As environmentally conscious consumers shift toward plant-based diets, seaweeds represent the next frontier. The lower you go on the food chain, the more efficiently nutrients are delivered and the less strain is placed on natural resources. By eating more seaweed, we help save the planet — one bite at a time.

OUR SEAWEED SPECIES

The waters surrounding Ruhnu Island are home to green, brown, and red algae species. While over 10,000 seaweed species exist worldwide, we specialise in cultivating two local species with exceptional food potential.

Sea Lettuce (Ulva intestinalis)
Appearance: Bright green, thin and leafy
Seasonality: Cultivated primarily in summer
Uses: Can be eaten raw, dried, frozen, and in various dishes
Flavour: Delivers a vivid green colour and umami taste with a subtle marine note
Nutritional value: Rich in vitamins A, C and B-group, calcium, magnesium, dietary fibre, and iodine

Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus)
Appearance: The largest seaweed around Ruhnu; olive-green when harvested, turning brown to nearly black when dried
Historical background: Arrived in Ruhnu's waters approximately 8,000 years ago
Distinction: Our cultivated form is a free-floating local variety — the highest quality brown seaweed in this region
Historical uses: Known to Estonians for centuries as a field fertiliser, adding essential minerals, nitrogen, and iodine to the soil
Health properties: Traditionally used for thyroid support; brown seaweed preparations have also been used to help remove radioactive substances from the body

SUSTAINABLE CULTIVATION

In all our seaweed farming, we follow responsible practices to preserve marine ecosystems. Seaweed cultivation uses no arable land, no freshwater, no pesticides, no antibiotics, and no fertilisers. Nothing is discharged back into the water — all production moves to land for processing and consumption.

Ruhnu Island is one of the sunniest locations in Estonia, and the Gulf of Riga provides sufficient nutrients — ideal conditions for seaweed cultivation. Our farm is carefully planned to keep production environmentally sustainable while functioning as a natural biofilter for the Baltic Sea.

HISTORY ON RUHNU

Seaweed has been used on Ruhnu Island for centuries. Several roads on the island are named after the historical practice of transporting seaweed from the shore to the fields. The current seaweed ecosystem around Ruhnu began forming approximately 12,000 years ago as the continental ice sheet retreated.

The first scientific description of Estonian coastal marine life appeared in Eduard Eichwald's Erste Nachtag zur Infusorienkunde Russlands (1847), documenting algal blooms in the Gulf of Riga. Historically, islanders used seaweed for everything from upholstering furniture to fertilising fields and feeding livestock.

EXPERIMENTAL SEAWEED KITCHEN

Since 2025, our experimental seaweed kitchen on Ruhnu Island is a unique facility where we test and develop new methods of seaweed processing:

- Drying and grinding
- Fermentation using both traditional and modern techniques
- Extract preparation
- Fresh seaweed in culinary applications

Activities are organised seasonally according to the natural growth cycles of Ruhnu's local seaweed species. The kitchen is open for collaboration with educational and research institutions, and offers opportunities for excursions, workshops, training sessions, and internship programmes.

SEAWEED IN MODERN CUISINE

While seaweed has been a dietary staple in Asia for millennia — nori has been used in Japan for over 1,300 years — it is now gaining popularity in European kitchens. In Estonia, forward-thinking and sustainability-minded chefs are increasingly incorporating local seaweed into their menus, replacing imported Asian varieties with the healthful flavours of Baltic species.

Planeet Ruhnu Seaweed Gin
Our signature product: a handcrafted gin made from locally cultivated bladderwrack, produced in cooperation with Peninuki Distillery. A salty breeze on your lips, feet in the beach water — Nordic-crisp with mineral notes from the sea.
Silver Medal — Best Estonian Drinks 2024
Silver Medal — Best Estonian Drinks 2025

Handcrafted Seaweed Soap
Made on Ruhnu Island by Kristel at Buldersi Farm. The seaweed gives the soap not only a unique appearance but also delivers skin-nourishing minerals and trace elements.

Estonian Food Region 2024
In 2024, Saaremaa, Muhu, and Ruhnu were named Estonia's Culinary Region. Ruhnu seaweed was a mandatory ingredient in the Estonian Chef of the Year and Young Chef of the Year competitions at the Kultuurikatel festival. Our seaweed has also been served at the Estonian Presidential Chancellery during the state reception for the Albanian head of state.

VISIT AND COLLABORATE

Excursions and visits
Individual and group visits to our experimental seaweed farm — see how Baltic seaweed is grown, harvested, and processed.

Workshops and training
Learn about seaweed harvesting, processing, and culinary applications hands-on.

Internship programme
Opportunities for students and enthusiasts to participate in longer-term projects.

Research collaboration
We are open to partnerships with educational and research institutions. Our experimental seaweed kitchen is available for research purposes.