The Sea’s Kitchen Garden : Swedish Seaweed as an underutilized marine ingredient along the Swedish coasts.

The coastal waters of Sweden are home to over 300 species of seaweed, yet their use as food remains limited. When preparing sushi at home, swedes tend to rely on imported seaweed, rather than using seaweed found in local waters. This study explores factors that affect consumer acceptance of Swedish seaweed species as an ingredient in home kitchens. Using two surveys – one with informational influence and one without – responses from 145 participants were gathered and analysed. The results show that curiosity and prior experience with seaweed are the strongest predictors of high acceptance. Informational influence showed to have a limited effect, suggesting that knowledge alone is an insufficient way to shift consumer attitudes. The findings point towards a growing interest in seaweed as a food source but also highlight a need for sensory exposure and hands-on familiarity. This study provides insight into how ingredients that can be classified as “new” can be introduced to the Swedish market– and the barriers that must be addressed along the way.