Mark is responsible for the day to day running of the business, while Kira focuses on branding and marketing
Seaweed harvesting is a year-round business – involving a daily team of at least four hand-harvesters
around 30 treatments, a key off er is a seaweed leaf wrap, which involves enveloping the body in giant leaves of kelp – “rather like a giant Havana cigar,” says Mark. “Visitors to high-end spas now expect a raw, natural experience. T is treatment uses 10-15 lbs of pure organic seaweed. Of course, it deliv- ers great theatre, but our treatments are also highly results driven.”
HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS
T e benefi cial properties of seaweed – of which there are around 800 varieties – are well researched and recognised. It’s widely eaten in Asia for its taste and health benefi ts, while combining it into beauty products also appears to pack a punch. “Its nutrient content means it’s fabulous for
hair and nails, and it’s good for Europeans who tend to have a lot of mineral defi cien- cies,” says Kira. “T ere’s no other plant like it
SPA BUSINESS 3 2012 ©Cybertrek 2012
– it has an 85 per cent mineral content. If you compare that to something like pomegranate, the health properties of which have also been championed – that only has a 1-2 per cent nutrient content with the rest being made up of water and sugars.” T e couple clearly have a passion for
treatment and product development, and Mark is involved with research into seaweed at two universities – but it’s far removed from his previous career. He originally studied law and then went into investment banking – something which failed to satisfy his entrepreneurial spirit. “I never really
saw the potential of seaweed when I was young and just wanted to get away. It’s only when you’re older that you realise how won- derful this place really is,” he says. Mark, who has since studied cosmetic sci- ence, is now responsible for the day to day
running of business operations, while Kira uses her previous experience as a graphic designer to put her stamp on Voya’s polished branding and marketing. T ere are currently seven family members involved in diff erent areas of the business, including his mother, father, and brothers Neil and Michael. For Voya, seaweed harvesting is a year-
round business – involving a daily team of at least four hand-harvesters. Output is higher in the summer because of the longer day- light hours and the absence of giant waves which frequently pound the Atlantic coast- line in winter. T e seaweed’s nutrient values can also diff er from winter to summer, with a higher vitamin content in the summer and higher mineral content in the winter.
SUSTAINABLE HARVEST
Mark says Sligo, where the north Atlantic driſt meets Ireland’s north-west coast, lies in an area that’s highly favourable for seaweed
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