GitHub Repo
https://github.com/HenryHannah/scaling-barnacle
It started with friendship and a desire to share the sea’s bounty. Three friends grew up in Juneau fishing, hiking and cooking together, then left the area for studies and other adventures in far-flung parts of the world. Juneau’s beauty, community and abundance beckoned them back. Now, Max Stanley and Lia Heifetz, together with co-founder Matt Kern, are uniting their passion for Southeast Alaska and their commitment to building community in the place they love. Their kelp-based food company, Barnacle, celebrates local ingredients, creates markets and jobs, and invites customers into what makes Alaska magical. By manufacturing products close to where ingredients are sourced, the company uses resources more efficiently and keeps the value chain local. Kern, Heifetz and Stanley are doubling down on Juneau. And Sealaska’s investment in them will enable Barnacle to grow, expand its impact and – its founders hope – ultimately become a household name and staple in pantries and kitchens everywhere. “A deep reverence for this place and sharing its story is part of our company culture,” Heifetz said. “We’re always amazed by Alaska and its culture. People live with purpose here. There’s a humbleness among those who live here and have appreciation for the vastness of the land and the ocean. These vast landscapes and the harsh conditions that come with them bring people together. Our tight-knit and vibrant communities are a result of the environment.” In keeping with that closeness and vibrance, Barnacle grew out of a summertime tradition. “We started Barnacle out of our passion for the wild foods that we have in Southeast Alaska, and for sharing those foods,” Heifetz said. Heifetz, Kern and Stanley learned to make kelp salsa and kelp pickles from a friend who shared a Gustavus homestead recipe. Summer fishing trips together didn’t always produce fish, but a bull kelp harvest was a sure thing. With a gathering of friends, many weekends were spent putting up jars of kelp salsa and pickles for all to enjoy throughout the winter. At the same time, Heifetz and Kern were developing a sense for how businesses could build resilience in rural communities. As the industry of seaweed farming and mariculture began to emerge in Alaska, they saw an opportunity to create demand for kelp farmers by developing products that used their ingredients.
