Before creating 12 Tides with Lindsey Palmer, Pat Schnettler worked in traditional seafood industries like large-scale commercial fishing and aquaculture. He witnessed first-hand the negative impacts humans are having on our oceans—overfishing, pollution, and coastline destruction.

With the creation of 12 Tides, he and Palmer set out to make foods that have a positive impact on the oceans, rather than a negative one. They believe that kelp will play a key role in helping to restore the health of our oceans while fighting the effects of climate change, and they’re on a mission to create a food system that will heal the oceans.

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Their kelp chips are available in an assortment of tasty flavors ranging from sea salt and chili pepper to vegan cheddar, among others. 12 Tides snacks are organic, nutrient-dense, plant-based, and gluten-free—making them a healthy and low-calorie snack that can be enjoyed anytime.

“We’re 1% for the Planet, meaning 1% of all our sales goes directly to our nonprofit partner SeaTrees to support the restoration of California’s giant kelp forests,” says Palmer. “Kelp forests in California have declined by up to 90% in recent decades due to climate change, warming ocean temperatures and a surge in purple urchin populations. These incredible ecosystems are so crucial to our oceans—they sequester carbon up to 20x as efficiently as terrestrial, improve water quality, reduce ocean acidification, and provide a home to biodiverse marine life. That’s why it’s so important that we restore them to what they once were. To date we’ve worked with SeaTrees to restore over 27,000 sqft of kelp forest.”

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We chatted with Palmer, who shared the inspiration behind the brand, their most popular flavor, future plans, and more.

When was 12 Tides founded and what does the name mean?

We founded 12 Tides in Fall 2020. Most seaweeds grow in the tidal zones of the oceans. There are roughly 12 hours between the tides—hence 12 Tides!

Tell us more about your products and what makes them special.

12 Tides makes regenerative ocean foods using kelp from the first ocean farms in the U.S.! Kelp is one of the best climate-positive foods because it’s naturally regenerative, meaning it has a net-positive for marine ecosystems in the way it absorbs and sequesters carbon and mitigates acidification. It’s also one of the very few zero-input foods on our planet, requiring no fresh water, no fertilizers, no pesticides, and no arable land.  Our vision is to use kelp to transform the food system into a force for good for our oceans.

The other great thing about kelp is that it absorbs all of the great vitamins and minerals already present in the oceans, which means our kelp chips are naturally high in iodine, calcium, and B vitamins. Our snacks are Certified Organic, vegan, gluten free, are baked (never fried), contain no added sugar, and contain only 100 calories per serving. We also pack our snacks in an industrially compostable pouch, ensuring no petroleum-based plastic ends up in our oceans.

Do you have a hero product/flavor? What’s your favorite?

Our classic Sea Salt is the most popular flavor. We have trouble choosing a favorite (that’s like picking a favorite child!), but lately we’ve been munching on our two new flavors: Vegan Cheddar and Truffle & Pepper. 

Where are your products sold?

We’re sold in around 1,000 retailers such as Whole Foods, Erewhon, Natural Grocers, New Seasons, and PCC Market. You can also find us online at Thrive Market, Good Eggs, Amazon, and on our own website.

What's next for the brand?

There are so many fun things we can do with kelp! We’re busy working on our next product line. We can’t say too much right now, but we’re excited to showcase kelp in new and exciting ways! 

For more information, visit 12 Tides’ website. Follow on Instagram: @12tides

[Images courtesy of 12 Tides]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk