Our cultivation procedure begins when we import 3-4mm seed oysters from hatcheries in Guernsey, USA or Chile. The oysters then begin the growth cycle at an oyster seed production facility in Namibia.
These 3-4mm oysters are stocked into a floating nursery .The oysters are held in boxes and water is pumped through them in an upward motion. This system is called upwelling. The oysters grow rapidly and reach a size of 15-20mm in three to four months.
At this size they are ready to be transferred out onto floating long lines. The oyster are placed in nets and suspended under floats out in the open water. The oysters are cleaned and sorted every two months to maintain a healthy environment, even growth and desired shape.
When the oysters reach 25-35g they are harvested and shipped to Nelson Mandela Bay.
In Nelson Mandela Bay the oysters are cultivated on long lines one kilometer out at sea. Long lines are essentially ropes, suspended on the surface with floats and anchored on each end with mooring blocks. The oysters are cultivated in nets that hang down off the long lines. Here they receive a constant supply of high quality food, brought by the prevailing water currents.
We constantly grade the oysters to ensure that the growth is uniform and the oysters develop a deep, cup shape.
Oysters are harvested daily and after cleaning and a purification period in tanks, the oysters are hand inspected and packed into boxes.
We hope that the time and care taken to grow our oyster is apparent as you enjoy their fresh taste!
We have recently completed the construction of our state of the art HCCP packing facility. The facility is approved by the NRCS for the packing of export quality oysters. Our chiller room can hold over 120000 oysters in UV filtered tanks.
The oyster in its shell is a living animal and should be treated with care. Like any other fish or shellfish, it should be kept cool. Store with the deeper cup shell underneath in order to retain the fresh natural juices, and cover with a damp cloth. Oysters can be kept alive for a few days in a refrigerator operating at 5-8°C but should not be taken in and out of the refrigerator. Discard any oysters that are gaping, and do not close when tapped.
Hold the oyster firmly with a cloth in one hand, hinged end towards you.
Insert knife into the small gap in the hinge, twist blade to separate shells.
Slide knife blade along inside edges of upper shell to sever the muscle holding the shells together.
Discard upper shell. Clean out any pieces of broken shell.
Cutting towards yourself, run the knife blade under the oyster, to sever the muscle attaching it to the lower shell, thereby freeing it.
