Fremantle Seaweed founder Chris De Cuyper
Fremantle Seaweed
Fremantle Seaweed secures FutureFeed licence to sell methane-cutting seaweed to cattle farmers
Leading ocean-tech Asparagopsis producer Fremantle Seaweed has secured a license to supply its Reef4Beef feed supplement to dairy and feedlot producers across Australia’s $26.2 billion beef cattle farming industry.
The licence comes from FutureFeed, a CSIRO-established company that holds global IP for the use of Asparagopsis seaweed as a livestock feed ingredient shown to reduce ruminant methane emissions by 80 percent.
It’s a move that brings Fremantle Seaweed another step closer to commercialising its Reef4Beef product following the recent acquisition of Western Australia’s first commercial-scale Asparagopsis hatchery and processing facility at 20 Mews Road in Fremantle.
This facility gives Fremantle Seaweed the capacity to grow Reef4Beef at scale, from its existing 32-hectare farm at Derbal Nara in Cockburn Sound to a proposed 160-hectare marine lease, and onshore production facility at 20 Mews Road.
Together, the FutureFeed licence and Fremantle Seaweed’s commercial-scale hatchery and processing facility position the company to build Western Australia’s largest integrated Asparagopsis supply chain, taking Reef4Beef from propagation and ocean cultivation through to commercial sale to cattle farmers.
Fremantle Seaweed has grown Asparagopsis at Cockburn Sound in Western Australia since 2023, and has raised $4 million in seed funding backed by a $4 million grant from the WA Government’s Investment Attraction Fund.
The company expects its first two planned ocean farms to produce up to 576 tonnes of Reef4Beef annually for supply to 25,000 head of cattle with the West Australian feedlot sector to be the first customers.
Securing the FutureFeed licence clears the way for commercial sales and sets Australia on a path to build an Asparagopsis industry with the potential to cut emissions across the national cattle herd, according to Fremantle Seaweed
Chris De Cuyper, Co-founder and Managing Director of Fremantle Seaweed, said: “Australia has the coastline, the science, and now the licence to lead on low-emissions cattle farming. We’ve spent years building the ocean farming and processing systems required to grow this seaweed at commercial scale, and this agreement means we can now put it directly into the hands of Australian cattle farmers.
“Backed by over a decade of world class science from CSIRO and FutureFeed, securing this license means we can deliver our Asparagopsis feed supplement to cattle farmers on spec and verified by a rigorous quality assurance program.”
“Farmers need practical ways to reduce methane without fundamentally changing how they operate. Reef4Beef can integrate into existing feeding systems and give producers access to an Australian-grown solution.
“With the facility and licence now in place, we can build an integrated Western Australian supply chain and begin working towards commercial supply across Australia.”
Alex Baker, CEO of FutureFeed, said: “Fremantle Seaweed has invested in the infrastructure needed to support commercial production, and this licence enables the company to bring that capability to market.
Expanding Australia’s production base will help ensure more livestock producers can access high-quality Asparagopsis products as demand grows.”
About Fremantle Seaweed
Fremantle Seaweed are a team of seafarers and scientists who are passionate about ocean conservation and fighting climate change. The Western Australian company is pioneering ocean cultivation of Asparagopsis seaweed – a natural feed ingredient scientifically proven to reduce methane emissions from cattle by over 80%. By combining marine science with practical farming partnerships, Fremantle Seaweed is creating a new blue-economy industry that strengthens regional economies, supports farmers, and contributes to global climate solutions. Learn more at www.fremantleseaweed.com
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