Laver is a seaweed found on the western coast of the British Isles, growing on beaches where rocks are embedded in sand. It attaches itself to the rocks by a 'hold-fast' and is easy but laborious to collect.
Laver is extremely nutritious, rich in protein, contains iodine and the vitamins A, B, B2, C & D. It is also very low in calories.
After picking it is washed thoroughly to remove the sand then cooked until soft and resembling a jelly. It is then known as laverbread. It is a similar plant to the seaweed treated as a great delicacy in Japan, sold in the UK as dried sheets called Nori.
The families within the company have 50 years experience in cooking laverbread. Traditionally the seaweed was collected and handwashed before being cooked in boiling pans over coal fires and although the new processing plant contains the very latest boiling pans and technology, using gas heating, the method of cooking is basically the same.