Why Crawfords Rock is a brand every vegan should know about!

If seaweed isn’t part of your diet yet, you’re really missing out on some great benefits! But don’t worry, this blog is here to help!

Today, we’re shining a light on Crawford's Rock Ltd and their award-winning seaweed sprinkle. This family business has been in the seaweed game for over 300 years, which explains how they’ve racked up so many awards, including a Vegan Choice Award. 

So, let’s get right into it and chat with one of the brilliant minds behind the magic!

Can you kick things off by sharing the story of Crawford's Rock Ltd? We’d love to hear how the business began and the journey it’s taken to grow into what it is today.

Traditionally our ancestors foraged the beach for seaweeds as custodians of the shore they held kelp rights historically used for agricultural purposes.  Great Grandfather Wilson hand harvested the seaweed especially the Shoulk (Nori) after the first frosts and boiled this for many hours seasoned it with salt and pepper and served on home baked gridle farls. He was also known in the area to hold cures and he would have distributed the seaweed to the townland of Derryogue as a cure to coughs and colds. Today we relive this tradition in a very modern seaweed company where we Wild Harvest Northern Irish Seaweeds and make Award Winning Products. 

It's wonderful to see you honouring the traditions your ancestors established; you have an incredible legacy! What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect about operating a family-owned business? 

I love that we are carrying out a family tradition. Today we are 3 generations myself , my family and our 6 soon to be 7 grandchildren, currently 5 boys and 1 girl. It's the girl who takes a great interest and often comes harvesting and at 10 can identify most seaweeds prevalent on our shores. She has just helped make a Vegan Honey which is creating a lot of buzz and through to the final of the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards. 

Wow, that's so impressive! Congratulations! We would be excited to get our hands on some of that too! On the topic of harvesting, it’s clear that you’re passionate about producing high-quality seaweed. Could you share more about your harvesting methods?

We harvest our seaweeds in a sustainable manner only taking what we need and only harvesting out of the shore once per year so we rotate the shorelines we use. We have lodged wild harvesting rights with DAERA for 40 miles and last year have piloted a project to spore Nori and Sea Lettuce onto small rocks and replant out an old Winkle Well with great results.

This is undoubtedly an important aspect that highlights what makes your brand so special! What else would you say sets your seaweed apart from other products available in the market?

We are set aside from other companies in our field as we are Ethical, Sustainable, Distinctive, Small Batch, Northern Irish Seaweed.  

An excellent encapsulation! Moving on, for those unfamiliar, could you explain the health benefits associated with your Dilisk Sprinkles?

The Health Benefits of Seaweed in the diet remain vast especially in a world where food has become nutrient depleted. By adding a pinch of seaweed you can increase the vitamins and minerals content of your food greatly. Have a look at the medical medium who advocates seaweeds or Irish Doctor Prainne Rattigan.  Seaweed contains many vitamins and minerals and is rich in iron , iodine and protective minerals. It really is a superfood.

Absolutely! It’s definitely something worth incorporating into our everyday lives! With that said, how would you suggest customers integrate this fantastic sea green into their meals? And, what’s your personal favourite way to enjoy it?

Dulse Sprinkles is very easy to use, great with roasted cauliflower,  great in soups and stews, great grinded over breads ....Why ! We say it’s good over everything.  Personally, I like to sprinkle kale with olive oil, cover it with Dulse Sprinkles and Roast in the Oven.

That sounds delicious! 

Now, besides having a reputation for great tasting products, your business is also well-regarded for its sustainability efforts. How do you go about achieving this, and why is it so important to you?

Sustainability is core to our principles and we work with the Principles of the Leave No Trace Agenda when we take people out on Foraging Experiences we ask that they leave no trace, nothing behind but footprints in the sand. 

Truly commendable! We also noticed that you have created some seaweed skincare, and it has definitely caught our attention! Can you tell us more about the other goodies you have available for purchase?

Seaweed is great for health but also great for skincare infant seaweed bathing has been clinically proven to reduce body stress.  We love natural and make beautiful seaweed soaps and creams paraben free, surfactant free and free from any nasties.

We’re looking forward to testing them out! 

As we come to a close, what are your aspirations for Crawford's Rock Ltd in the future? Any upcoming plans you can let us in on?

We are currently working to grow a Tide to Table Taste Tour and continue to develop a range of Award Winning Products. This year we have won 2 stars at Great Taste for a Pickled Nori,  1 star for a Co  Down Coastal Seasoning . We have won an Immunity Award for Sea Moss Health and Wellbeing Silver, this Vegan Award is so important to our company as we continue to GROW.  

The Irish Quality Food Awards are coming out soon. We have our Vegan Honey and a Seaweed Salt through and have also been successful in this year Blad na hEireann and The Great British Food Awards. It's been a busy year of Products Development but if I'm being true to myself Seaweed is very much part of Irish History from the Dulse we chew on with the order of the Day in Old Ireland being Women Children Seaweed we are delighted to introduce seaweed as a culinary component in a charming sense of time and place.  

How fantastic! What amazing accomplishments and exciting prospects ahead!

Lastly and most importantly, where can readers purchase your multi award-winning products?

You can purchase my products from our website under shop at www.crawfordsrockseaweed.co.uk 

And from all of us here at VCA we highly recommend you do!

If you’d like to keep up with the journey of this inspiring brand and the positive impact they're having on their customers and the planet, we will link their socials below for you to check out too!

Thank you so much for reading.