This Marin County blog post recaps the leadership shift at Gimme Seaweed, the San Rafael-based snack company. It highlights Chris Lansing’s appointment as CEO, his strong track record guiding consumer brands, and the company’s bold growth plan—new manufacturing in Madera, a headquarters expansion, and a push into broader retail with the launch of K-Crisps in early 2026.
We’ll look at how Lansing’s background and the Bay Area’s appetite for sustainable, Gen Z-friendly foods might shape Gimme Seaweed’s path from San Rafael to Marin’s towns like Corte Madera, Sausalito, and Mill Valley.
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Leadership Change Signals Bold Growth for Marin’s Seaweed Snack Brand
With Chris Lansing now CEO, Gimme Seaweed is making a clear move toward bigger growth while keeping its brand identity intact. The company says Lansing’s history in building strong brands and guiding successful exits fits with its goal to expand without losing its core values.
That balance matters in Marin County’s tight-knit business community, where Annie Chun and Stephen Broad stay involved as co-founders, shaping daily operations and long-term plans.
Board director Brad Barnhorn called Lansing a capable leader who can grow the brand without losing its mission. Lansing sees seaweed as a sustainable, fast-growing food category that’s already catching the eye of Gen Z and Gen Alpha—shoppers you’ll find all over Marin’s college-adjacent towns and out to San Anselmo and Larkspur.
New Leadership, Growth Strategy
With Lansing at the helm, Gimme Seaweed looks set to grow faster without losing what makes it unique. That’s a big deal in Marin County’s picky markets, from San Rafael to Fairfax.
He’s worked at Health-Ade Kombucha, Nature’s Bakery, and held senior roles at Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Hershey’s, and Peet’s Coffee. The leadership shake-up is about scaling up while keeping the brand’s family vibe—something Annie Chun and Stephen Broad built from the start in Marin’s wine country markets and North Bay snack aisles.
- Scale while preserving core values: The growth plan stresses brand integrity and trust with Bay Area retailers and national partners.
- Broaden market reach: They want to go national but keep that San Rafael-local storytelling edge.
- Founder involvement preserved: The co-founders stay hands-on, keeping continuity in flavor, packaging, and social mission.
- Gen Z/Gen Alpha focus: The brand leans into the demand for sustainable snacks that younger shoppers want, from Sausalito to Corte Madera.
Expanding Footprint: From Marin to Central California and Beyond
Gimme Seaweed’s growth plan includes a manufacturing facility in Madera, announced in November, plus a bigger San Rafael HQ for more production, research, and development. Sure, Madera is outside Marin, but the news ripples through the North Bay’s supply chain—Marin’s suppliers, printers, and co-packers in places like San Rafael, San Anselmo, and Novato all feel it.
The new jobs fit with Marin’s love of supporting family-run businesses in towns like Mill Valley and Tiburon, where local families often count on Bay Area companies for steady, sustainable work.
Product Innovation Signals Broad Retail Push
In late February 2026, Gimme Seaweed rolled out K-Crisps in ramen, popcorn, and toast-topping formats. This move shows the brand’s aim to get into more mainstream grocery aisles—think San Rafael’s markets, Corte Madera’s co-ops, and Sausalito’s retail hubs, not just specialty shops and farmers markets.
Lansing wants to speed up product launches while keeping the brand’s seaweed-first, sustainable story front and center. It’s a tricky balance, but that’s the challenge he signed up for.
Local Flavor, Marin-Centric Coverage
For folks in Marin County, this leadership change sits right at the intersection of local food culture and big business growth. San Rafael’s business community will watch closely to see how Gimme Seaweed’s expansion—driven by a proven Bay Area exec—turns into new jobs and partnerships with Marin suppliers and distributors.
Towns like Mill Valley, Novato, Larkspur, and Sausalito could see more activity around packaging, logistics, and the occasional pop-up tasting as the product line grows. The company’s focus on Gen Z/Alpha shoppers fits Marin’s trend-savvy schools, youth programs, and sustainable dining scenes in places like Fairfax and Tiburon.
What This Means for Marin County Snack Lovers
As Gimme Seaweed grows, Marin readers will probably see more of these snacks in Bay Area grocers and cafés. They’ll keep focusing on making sustainable, seaweed-based snacks, which is honestly a good thing for anyone who cares about where their food comes from.
There’s a real chance for creative partnerships with Marin’s local farmers markets and co-ops. Imagine new twists—seaweed chips, ramen toppers, maybe even something nobody’s thought of yet.
Watch for announcements in San Rafael’s retail corridors and Corte Madera’s shopping districts. K-Crisps launches and expanded distribution could pop up any time.
The company started in San Rafael, and now with Lansing’s global-brand know-how, it’s still got that Marin vibe. They haven’t lost the values that made this snack stand out in the first place.
It’ll be interesting to see what Gimme Seaweed does next—from the edge of the Golden Gate to the heart of the North Bay. Honestly, I’m curious where this goes.
Here is the source article for this story: Marin County snack company Gimme Seaweed names CEO
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