Quality Assurance

Keeping products exceptional from harvest to delivery.

How do you maintain the integrity of a pristine natural resource? By settling for nothing less than the exceptional.

Acadian Seaplants has staked our reputation on the quality of our products and full customer satisfaction from the very beginning. We intend to uphold that level of excellence as we grow, continuing to build a world-class quality assurance team and develop a rigorous Global Quality System (GQS) model that rivals industry and global standards.

Here is how we fulfill our commitment to singular quality and continuous improvement at every stage of our processes.

Careful management in coastal waters

Long before a single frond of seaweed is harvested, our quality assurance team has defined processes to select the finest raw materials while protecting the environment. Seaweed is harvested at the optimal time to permit the regional stock to regrow and flourish with only the highest quality organic material reaching our production facilities.

Our harvesting methods are virtuously unobtrusive to the lives of marine animals and decades of research shows that a negligible amount is caught as by-catch in our harvests. Almost 40 years of experience has allowed us to refine our Resource Management Plans, prioritizing a low impact and conservative approach to protect nature in these dynamic and cherished ecosystems.

Rigorous quality inspection

Our Harvesters are only the first of many experts to audit our raw materials for the finest quality. Once seaweed-laden boats and net bags reach local docks and wharfs, we conduct preliminary visual inspections to sift out organic material that fails to meet our specifications. Resources that pass the inspection are then transported to our GMP and HACCP-certified processing facilities.

Upon arrival, each load is tagged establishing traceability throughout the entire manufacturing process. Our quality assurance team reviews the organic material for cleanliness, as well as overall freshness. Regular audits are conducted throughout the entire manufacturing process, administering the appropriate quality standards depending on the final use and destination of our products. Until the moment our products are in transit to customers’ locations, we’re painstakingly ensuring our promise of quality at every stage of processing.

Continuous improvement of global quality standards

We hold ourselves to a higher standard – no matter where we go. Our quality assurance team works to satisfy the requirements of regulatory organizations in all of the regions where we operate, and we strive to implement our first-class GQS structure on a global scale.

Working alongside governmental agencies and regulatory organizations, we identify opportunities to better align our products with customer expectations. And we embrace the lessons learned from our peers, global brands and Fortune 500s to create global manufacturing governance that minimizes risk and elevates safety across our processes. It’s what makes Acadian Seaplants a trustworthy name – no matter from where our products originate.

We also set the pace for quality innovation. Regular audits conducted by corporate leadership ensures that our facilities live up to the best-in-class benchmarks we’ve established to deliver unrivaled products to our global markets. Using our extensive knowledge of our natural resource and pioneering our own processes, we’ve created standards of sustainable quality assurance that are unique to Acadian Seaplants. Through continuous improvements in Quality Assurance automation, Good Laboratory Practices compliance and other exacting practices, we’ll continue to bring nothing but the best to our customers – today, tomorrow and well into the future.

Our Quality Assurance Team

The excellence of our value-added seaweed products hinges upon the diligence, innovation, and hard work of our Quality Assurance Team. Their dedication to maintaining the highest production standards and regulatory compliance across all our facilities is a key reason why customers worldwide trust our brand. Here’s a look at the talented professionals who keep our reputation flawless.

Nita Grewal

Director, Global Quality & Food Safety Systems

Joined ASL: 2022

Location: Nova Scotia

Nita is responsible for global quality and food safety systems at Acadian Seaplants. With her extensive experience in name-brand food and drink manufacturers all over the globe, she brings real-world know how and a proven track record of building robust supply chains to meet the demands of competitive global markets and customer requirements. Nita is also an active member of the Certified Quality Institute and brings decades of knowledge and experience in global regulatory compliance to Acadian Seaplants. When not in the office, she enjoys cooking delectable cuisine that expands her palate or exploring the natural world on every continent.

Craig Landsburg

Quality Assurance Manager

Joined ASL: 2003

Location: Nova Scotia

Craig is responsible for product and process quality at the Deveau Center in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia. Since 2003, he has used his food chemistry, research and development, quality assurance, and plant science expertise to drive innovation and excellence throughout the Deveau Center and the entire corporation. Craig is always eager to delve into new challenges and sustain Acadian Seaplants through the next phase of growth. In his free time, he is dedicated to his family and volunteer work as well as reading, golfing in the summer, and playing a few games of curling in the winter.

Jennifer Ross

Site Quality Coordinator

Joined ASL: 2010

Location: Charlesville

Jennifer supervises quality and customer satisfaction at the Acadian Seaplants Seaweed Cultivation and Food Processing facility in Charlesville, Nova Scotia. She is dedicated to ensuring exceptional products across their land-based seaweed cultivation operation. Jennifer is a driving force for the ongoing improvement of Charlesville’s processes, safeguarding the quality of their products and keeping up with Canadian and global food certifications. During her off time, she loves spending time with her son, cheering him at all his competitive sports competitions.

James Seelye

Quality Control

Joined ASL: 2003

Location: New Brunswick

James undertakes all the quality control requirements for the Pennfield, New Brunswick facility and supports the manufacturing and shipping departments. As a natural team player, he has amassed a wide range of responsibilities since his early days at Acadian Seaplants, now maintaining current certifications at Pennfield to ensure all high-quality seaweed products live up to the highest industry standards. James is an outdoorsy type who lives for camping with family and friends as well as exploring the woods of New Brunswick with his ATV.

Maurice Hamilton

Quality Coordinator

Joined ASL: 1994

Location: Yarmouth

Maurice ensures that the Yarmouth facility meets regulatory requirements and complies with the Food-Feed Safety and Quality Programs. He has built a career with Acadian Seaplants, rising through the ranks of various production areas and ultimately championing the organic certification of the Yarmouth facility. His wealth of knowledge about the intricacies of Acadian Seaplants’ processes, customer needs, risk assessments, and regulatory changes makes him an essential member of the team. When he clocks out for the day, he likes to take it easy, gardening and gazing out over the pond within eyeshot of his veranda.

Maura Flaherty

Quality and Safety Manager

Joined ASL: 1998

Location: Connemara, Ireland

Maura leads quality and safety processes at Arramara Teoranta, handling the complex processes that protect employees and enhance the overall quality of seaweed products. Through her diligence and attention-to-detail, Arramara stays compliant with agricultural, feed and other quality certifications across their product lines. She is enthusiastic to work with members of the team and eagerly throws herself into every project that comes her way. When not in the office, Maura loves spending her free time with her family, reading, walking along local trails and vacationing in Lanzarote.

Bradley Weir

Quality Assurance and Accounts Administrator

Joined ASL: 2019

Location: Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Bradley uses his analytical skills and attention to detail as he oversees accounts payable, payroll and quality assurance for Uist Asco. He is responsible for ensuring all value-added products are upheld to the highest standards set by ASL and accrediting bodies. Involved in SAP and account management, Bradley is crucial to the development and growth of Uist Asco, both now and in the future. In his downtime, he goes for walks with his Labrador pup, swims, paddleboards, paints, and reads.