Brown seaweed (the primary alginate raw material) is part of a global farmed algae base that reached 37.8 million wet tonnes in 2022, with China alone accounting for 61% of the world. From food texturization and pharmaceutical drug delivery to wound care and biomedical engineering, alginate's functional versatility has made it indispensable across industries that demand precision, biocompatibility, and scalability.
These points illustrate both the magnitude of the raw material base and the specialized scale of alginate processing. Kings Research projects that the global alginate market will reach USD 1,056.2 million by 2031, driven by increasing demand across various industries and advancements in production technologies. In 2026, it will further shape this market in terms with refine extraction methods, improving value-added formulations and integrating sustainability into their operations.
In line with these developments, Kings Research explores the top alginate companies shaping the global market.
Top Alginate Companies in 2026
1. KIMICA Corporation
KIMICA Corporation is a Japanese alginate manufacturer producing sodium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, and hydrocolloid derivatives for food, pharmaceutical, and industrial customers globally. The company is recognized for high-purity pharmaceutical-grade alginate and operates proprietary seaweed sourcing and processing capabilities from its Tokyo headquarters.
KIMICA will showcase its sustainable "Kombu Acid" alginates at IFIA JAPAN 2026, highlighting their application in bread quality improvement and oil absorption inhibition, alongside the health functionalities of calcium alginate.
2. Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group
Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group is one of China's largest seaweed processors and a major global alginate producer. Based in Shandong Province, the company extracts sodium alginate, mannitol, and iodine from Laminaria japonica and supplies food, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets internationally.
In a move to modernize its global presence, the company announced a brand identity refresh, effective December 2025, which will be gradually implemented across all products, contracts, and marketing materials.
3. Shandong Jiejing Group Corporation
Shandong Jiejing Group is one of the world's largest sodium alginate producers by volume, operating integrated seaweed cultivation and alginate extraction facilities in Rizhao, Shandong. The company supplies food processing, textile printing, paper manufacturing, and pharmaceutical customers across domestic and international markets.
Jiejing is actively engaging with international buyers, inviting partners to meet at the CAC 2026 and FIC 2026 trade shows in Shanghai this spring to discuss its latest alginate and seaweed fertilizer products.
4. Algaia (JRS Group)
Algaia is a French producer of Atlantic seaweed-derived ingredients, including food-grade and cosmetic-grade alginates and fucoidan extracts, operating as part of the JRS Group. Headquartered in Brittany, the company focuses on traceable, sustainably harvested European seaweed supply chains for clean-label food and premium cosmetic applications.
In February 2023, Algaia announced the expansion of its R&D center in Saint-Lô, France, including new state-of-the-art laboratories, additional offices, and a new semi-industrial workshop for producing new seaweed extracts ahead of full-scale manufacturing at the Lannilis plant.
5. Roquette (IFF / NovaMatrix)
NovaMatrix, operating under IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances), is a Norwegian producer of pharmaceutical-grade alginates from sustainably harvested North Atlantic brown seaweed. Its high-purity sodium and calcium alginate grades serve controlled drug delivery, wound care, and clinical-grade cell encapsulation applications meeting stringent pharmacopoeia standards.
NovaMatrix has commercially launched NOVAMATRIX-3D, an animal-free ultrapure alginate foam scaffold supplied in a ready-to-use 24-well plate format for 3D cell culture in cancer, stem cell, and tissue engineering research. The system enables enzyme-free cell release, preserving cell viability without chemical disruption. Following Roquette's $2.85 billion acquisition of IFF Pharma Solutions in May 2025, the NOVAMATRIX-3D platform is now commercialized under Roquette's Health & Pharma Solutions business group."
6. CEAMSA
CEAMSA is a Spanish producer of seaweed-derived hydrocolloids, including alginates, carrageenan, and agar, headquartered in Galicia. The company sources seaweed from Atlantic Spain and South America, supplying food-grade and industrial-grade alginate to food processing and manufacturing customers across Europe and Latin America.
CEAMSA is contributing its bio-based material expertise to a Horizon Europe project, led by Notpla, to develop plastic-free, home-compostable coffee cups that leverage natural materials for a circular economy.
7. Gelymar S.A.
Gelymar S.A. is a Chilean producer of carrageenan and alginate, operating seaweed harvesting and processing facilities along the Chilean coastline. The company supplies food-grade alginate and carrageenan to international customers across the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries from its Puerto Montt base.
Gelymar has advanced its product and sustainability portfolio across several fronts. In February 2025, the company launched Gely Nova, a 100% natural, additive-free ingredient derived exclusively from Chilean seaweed, offering multiple textural solutions for food manufacturers seeking clean-label formulations suitable for vegan applications.
8. IRO Alginate Industry Co., Ltd.
IRO Alginate Industry is a Chinese manufacturer and international exporter of sodium alginate for food processing, textile printing, and pharmaceutical applications. The company competes on volume and price in the international alginate trading market, serving buyers across Asia, Europe, and North America.
9. Marine Biopolymers Limited (MBL)
Marine Biopolymers Limited is a UK-based producer of food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade sodium alginate derived from Ascophyllum nodosum harvested off the Scottish coastline. MBL is one of the few Western European alginate producers with fully domestic raw material sourcing, serving food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology customers.
Marine Biopolymers Limited (MBL) is advancing its patented zero-formaldehyde seaweed biorefinery platform through the A2S (Alginic Acid to Safety) project. It’s a collaboration with Starbons Ltd and the University of York's Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, converting alginate processing byproducts into Starbon, a high-performance adsorbent for toxic gas filtration.
10. Alginor ASA
Alginor ASA is a Norwegian biorefinery company extracting alginate, fucoidan, laminarin, mannitol, and iodine from Ascophyllum nodosum harvested along Norway's coastline. Its zero-waste biorefinery model recovers multiple commercially valuable compounds per tonne of seaweed, supplying pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and biomedical customers requiring traceable North Atlantic alginate.
In May 2024, Alginor ASA launched the PROTEUS flagship project to establish the world's first fully integrated industrial-scale brown seaweed biorefinery in Avaldsnes, Norway. It aims to target 100% biomass utilization of Laminaria hyperborea into alginates, fucoidans, cellulose, and kelp fibres by 2028.
11. GFURI INDUSTRIAL CO., LIMITED
GFURI Industrial Co., Limited, established in 2001 and based in Jiaonan, Qingdao, is a CE and ISO 9001-certified manufacturer of dental-grade and food-grade sodium alginate, potassium alginate, and calcium alginate, with a combined annual output exceeding 3,000 MT. The company exports to North America and across Europe, including the U.S., the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain, serving dental, food, and industrial applications.
12. Gather Great Ocean
Gather Great Ocean is a Chinese seaweed processing company producing sodium alginate for food, agricultural, and industrial applications. Operating within Shandong Province's established seaweed processing cluster, the company supplies domestic and international customers across food manufacturing and agricultural input markets.
In January 2025, Qingdao Gather Great Ocean Algae Industry Group (GGOG) held its 2024 Summary and Commendation Conference alongside its 2025 Work Launch Meeting, reflecting active organizational expansion and production planning for the year ahead.
13. Zibo Wangfei Seaweed
Zibo Wangfei Seaweed Tech. Co., Ltd. is a Shandong-based sodium alginate manufacturer with an annual output of 2,000 MT. The company produces food-grade, industrial-grade, textile-grade, dental-grade, and cosmetic-grade sodium alginate, alongside specialty grades for digital printing and lithium alginate for emerging battery applications. Its products are exported to more than 20 countries across North America, South America, Europe, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
14. Qingdao Rongde Seaweed Co., Ltd.
Established in 2003 and headquartered in Jiaonan, Qingdao, is a high-tech seaweed processing enterprise with total assets of RMB 60 million and a 40,000 m² facility. The company manufactures sodium alginate (4,000 MT/yr), carrageenan (500 MT/yr), mannitol (800 MT/yr), iodine, and potassium, calcium, and alginic acid grades for food, pharmaceutical, textile, agricultural, and welding applications.
Conclusion
The global alginate industry is defined by its structural diversity, ranging from high-volume Chinese producers to innovative Norwegian biorefineries and specialized regional players in India, Chile, and Europe. As demand expands simultaneously across food, pharmaceutical, and biomedical sectors, distinct competitive niches are emerging. This landscape, driven by both high-tech applications and top alginate companies, ensures the market will remain a critical biomaterial for years to come.
