Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) has long been one of the most commonly consumed edible seaweeds in East Asia. It is typically used in making soups and salads. In China, it is also used as one of the fillings for dumplings and an ingredient in hot pots.

The China Fishery Statistical Yearbook reported that 225,604 tons (by drained weight) of wakame were produced in China in 2020, with the majority (over 75%) coming from Liaoning Province and a significant portion (around 24%) from Shandong Province. Under the same statistical measurement, South Korea produced nearly 50,000 tons, while Japan only around 4,000 tons. According to another report, Japan has been importing a large quantity of wakame from China (more than 70%) and South Korea (about 10%) to meet its domestic demand over the past decades.

Nowadays, wakame is gaining increasing popularity among global consumers. Depending on different cooking methods, wakame can be processed into several types, such as whole or cut, dried or frozen, raw or seasoned, etc.

"Nori" literally means "seaweed" and is a collective term for a variety of edible seaweeds. However, in practice, as distinct from other seaweeds, the single word "nori" specifically refers to "Japanese-style seaweed (Pyropia yezoensis) which is typically roasted and used to wrap sushi."

Nori was first introduced to China by Japanese companies for cultivation in the 1980s. Jiangsu Province (accounting for 60~80%) and Shandong Province (with rapid growth) have been the principal farming regions for nori in China. A recent report indicates that 6 billion standard sheets were produced in China in 2020, which was very close to Japan's production of 6.2 billion. It should be noted that Japan has been continuously reducing its production over the past few years. And in the same year, the production of South Korea reached a remarkable 12 billion.

Compared with Japanese-style nori (produced in Japan and China), Korean-style nori (Pyropia tenera) has a thinner and more friable sheet but generally offers a competitive price.