Grand Isle oysters are having their best year in decades
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Grand Isle oyster producers say this was their best year since the early 1980s, thanks to a new branding campaign for local bivalves.
Why it matters: It signals a major economic comeback for the industry after decades of decline.
The big picture: About a dozen companies are united under the Grand Isle Jewels umbrella brand, including Lady Nellie, Bayside Oyster and Bright Side Oyster.
- They are marketed as boutique oysters — more petite and with a cleaner appearance than their traditional counterparts, producers told Axios at an event this fall at Deanie's in Bucktown.
- The producers use off-bottom farming techniques that grow oysters under the water's surface, instead of on the seafloor.
- It gives farmers more control over salinity and allows multiple harvests per year, says Jerry Bologna, president and CEO of Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission.
By the numbers: About 45% of the oysters consumed in North America come from Louisiana, Bologna says.
- "But Grand Isle, which was always the epicenter of oyster production, had dwindled to near zero for traditional oysters," he told Axios.
- There were several reasons, he says, including the BP oil spill and the scouring of the seafloor.
What they did: JEDCO launched the Jewels brand in April, and there's already a waiting list of farmers.
- The oysters have been popular with local restaurants and consumers. Seafood supplier Inland Foods distributes the Jewels across the country.
- The Grand Isle Port Commission is also building the first oyster processing plant on Grand Isle to keep up with demand. The parish and Louisiana Sea Grant are paying for the $250,000 project.
What's next: Jewels producers are ramping up efforts to get oysters to consumers for the holidays.
- They are doing pickup locations across south Louisiana, along with home deliveries.
