Bringing the taste of local oysters to the holiday table isn’t just a good idea for dinner.
It’s a way to help Virginia’s aquaculture farmers, whose sales continue to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
AquaCultured, a grant-funded program by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and Virginia Sea Grant, will spend the next year helping oyster growers transition their business to e-commerce and specialized marketing.
The VIMS extension team will connect aquaculture farmers to complementary industries, such as wineries, breweries and restaurants, in order to create a broader customer base for both businesses.
It will also sponsor three events aimed at promoting and selling local seafood, starting with “Happy Oysters for Happy Holidays” — gift baskets that include Sapidus Oysters, harvested locally using environmentally friendly practices.
“Aquaculture farmers and growers typically don’t market to the consumer,” said Lisa Lawrence, the marine education program leader for the Marine Advisory Program at VIMS. “Most of them market to restaurants because the vast majority of people eat their seafood at restaurants rather than at home.”
According to a 2019 USDA Census of Aquaculture report, only 4% of shellfish farmers listed their first point of sale as direct to consumers. The shutdown and restrictions placed on restaurants and nonessential businesses in the Commonwealth, has forced aquaculture farmers to evolve to a new business model.
“They completely lost their ability to sell their products,” Lawrence said. “This is our quick response to help them develop a market directly to consumers.”
Orders for the $75 gift basket must be placed online here.
Each basket contains:
- Sapidus Farms “Happy Oysters,” which are raised on the Northern Neck along the pristine waters of the Great Wicomico River in the mouth of Tippers Creek. Each box contains 36 oysters.
- A 4-ounce jar of “Happy Sauce,” a delicate spin on classic mignonette.
- A 16-ounce pouch bag of Whitley’s Peanut Factory Chesapeake Bay Seasoned Peanuts. Headquartered in Gloucester, the family-owned factory has made gourmet nuts since 1986.
- A bottle koozie and stickers from Gloucester-based Marker Nine, a casual apparel company that celebrates sea life.
Baskets must be picked up on Sunday, Dec. 20 from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Shops at Tidemill at Gloucester Point, 2072 George Washington Memorial Highway.
“This is an awesome event,” Lawrence said. “You’re shopping local. It’s a drive-thru, so you’re social distancing. It’s a great package that you get right before the holidays so it makes a great Christmas gift, or you can enjoy everything yourself on Christmas Eve.”
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