FOR RELEASE: An Oyster CSA Comes to Boston
March 12, 2021
FOR RELEASE
An Oyster CSA Comes to Boston
A new oyster-focused Community Supported Aquaculture program from Shellfish Broker, offers fresh, affordable, locally-grown oysters delivered door-to-door in the Boston Metro Area.
SOUTH CHATHAM, Mass., -- Not every oyster is created equally nor is the way an oyster makes its way from harvester to consumer.
Through the pandemic, more and more people have started having their seafood delivered directly to their door. While home delivery is convenient for seafood consumers, shipping these orders on demand often requires excessive insulated packaging and overnight shipping or air travel just to transport a few servings of seafood. These options are often expensive and inaccessible, even when only a few miles separate the consumer and harvester.
Shellfish Broker, a new seafood wholesaler located in South Chatham, is looking to connect Boston-area residents with locally grown shellfish at an affordable price by offering a three-month Community Supported Aquaculture (CSA) home-delivery plan. The CSA model revolves around distributing local and seasonal seafood within the community, with a focus on sustainable, affordable, and transparent catch. Customers often sign up to receive their share of local seafood on a set day instead of on-demand, meaning transportation and packaging can be more efficient.
“The idea for our CSA stemmed from our work with GreenCrab.org last summer where we delivered free green crabs, a tasty invasive species, to residents in the Greater Boston Area” said Jamie Bassett, Shellfish Broker’s co-founder and chief executive officer. “We believe there is a way to expand the retail market off-Cape and connect more consumers to delicious oysters through this program while minimizing the environmental impact of excessive packaging and shipping charges,” Bassett added.
Shellfish Broker’s CSA mini-season includes 36 specially selected rotating local oysters, delivered directly from its Cape Cod location. Deliveries will occur on the second Saturday of each month, beginning in April, and are available to residents in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Brookline at this time. Those who order a single month share for $75 will receive 36 oysters (three varieties) plus free delivery. However, people who sign-up for a three-month season for $215 will also receive six free mystery oysters with each delivery, a total of 42 oysters. Each month will showcase different oyster-growing regions on Cape Cod and the rest of the state, allowing consumers to try different local oysters they might not otherwise have the chance to purchase at their local supermarket or restaurant. Each share also includes a digital oyster guide for specific varieties, highlighting individual farms, growing conditions, flavor profiles, and even wine pairings.
“The pandemic hit our local oyster harvesters on Cape Cod especially hard with the closure of so many restaurants to the point where supply has far outstripped demand,” said Matt Belson, co-founder and chief operating officer for Shellfish Broker. “And we see this delivery program as benefitting not only the consumer but also the oyster growers in our communities.”
The CSA includes Nauset Inlet Oysters grown by Outer Beach Shellfish, a family-run oyster farm based in Orleans, MA
Sign-ups are on a first-come basis with a deadline of April 5 for the first delivery on April 10. If successful, Shellfish Broker hopes to offer similar packages featuring locally harvested shellfish such as clams, scallops, mussels, and even green crabs.
Cape Cod folks can purchase an Oyster CSA for pickup at Shellfish Broker’s location in South Chatham on April 10.
You can sign-up for your CSA share and learn more here:
Shellfish Broker LLC is a HACCP Certified seafood wholesaler located on Cape Cod in South Chatham, Mass., specializing in local shellfish. For more information visit: www.shellfishbroker.com or email: sales@shellfishbroker.com