What Taylor Shellfish Farms does

Taylor Shellfish Farms is a fifth-generation, family-owned shellfish aquaculture operation founded in 1890 and headquartered in Shelton, Washington, recognized as North America's largest oyster producer. The company grows and sells fresh shellfish including multiple oyster species (Olympia, Pacific, Kumamoto, Sumo Kumo, Shigoku, Fat Bastard, Virginica, Beach Glass, Pacific Petites), Manila clams, Mediterranean mussels, and geoduck across farming sites in Totten Inlet, Willapa Bay, Samish Bay, and Puget Sound, using cultivation methods that include floating raft mussel production, suspended bag tide-tumbled oyster growing, and intertidal zone farming. In March 2026 the company became the first Aquaculture Stewardship Council-certified bivalve farmer in the United States, covering seven species.

The business is fully vertically integrated across hatchery/seed production, grow-out, processing (including a company-owned smokehouse and cannery in Shelton producing the Ekone tinned seafood sub-brand with smoked oysters, mussels, albacore tuna, and salmon), wholesale foodservice distribution, four company-owned oyster bar retail locations in Seattle and Samish, and a nationwide direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at buy.taylorshellfishfarms.com that ships perishable product via FedEx 2-day and overnight in temperature-controlled packaging. Pricing is unit-based, with premium live oysters at $60-$100 per 30-count, geoduck at $60 per piece, meal kits at $85-$150, and tiered pricing on Ekone canned products. Product extensions include meal kits (Cioppino, Fried Oyster, Butter Clam, Raw Bar Experience), proprietary compound butters co-developed with Vern's Food & Farm, and partnerships such as Briney Sea Delicaseas for smoked king salmon.

The company employs more than 500 people across multiple family generations and is led by fourth-generation co-leaders Bill Taylor, Paul Taylor, and brother-in-law Jeff Pearson, with fifth-generation family member Nyle Taylor. Distribution channels span consumer purchases, restaurant and foodservice operators, grocery retailers, and retail oyster bar traffic. Technology integrations include Toast Tab for retail pickup ordering and FedEx logistics; the company also runs 500+ annual debris patrols throughout Puget Sound and has supported more than 15 research projects through direct or in-kind contributions.

Name

Taylor Shellfish Farms

Legal name

Taylor Shellfish Farms

Website

https://taylorshellfishfarms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Taylor Shellfish Farms is a fifth-generation, family-owned shellfish aquaculture company founded in 1890 and the largest oyster producer in North America. It grows and sells oysters, clams, mussels, and geoduck via wholesale, four oyster bars, nationwide e-commerce, and its Ekone tinned seafood brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Shellfish Aquaculture

NAICS

Shellfish Farming (112512), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Shellfish Farming (e.g., oysters, mussels, clams) (AFAEAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shellfish Value-Added Products (Shucked Oysters, Mussels, Clams; Cooked/Marinated) (AFANALAK), Shellfish Processing (Shrimp, Crab, Lobster, Mollusks) (AFANADAC), Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen) (AFAIADAD), Seafood Markets & Fishmongers (CRAHAHAC)

Keywords

• Shellfish aquaculture
• Fresh oyster farming
• Smoked seafood products
• Shellfish wholesale distribution
• Marine protein production

Headquarters

HQ city

Shelton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Sells fresh shellfish, meal kits, smoked/canned seafood, and merchandise directly to consumers through its e-commerce storefront at buy.taylorshellfishfarms.com. Products include live oysters, clams, mussels, geoduck, smoked Ekone products, meal kits, and apparel.
2. Wholesale and Foodservice Distribution: Supplies fresh shellfish to restaurants, foodservice operators, and retailers. The company operates four oyster bars in Seattle and Samish, serving as both a distribution outlet and a brand showcase.
3. Oyster Bar Retail: Operates four oyster bar locations in Seattle and Samish, providing in-person dining experiences that also serve as brand ambassadors and direct sales channels.
4. Canned and Smoked Seafood (Ekone Brand): Processes and sells Ekone branded tinned/canned smoked oysters, mussels, albacore tuna, and smoked salmon through both direct e-commerce and wholesale channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Taylor Shellfish Farms farms, harvests, processes, and distributes fresh Pacific Northwest shellfish including oysters (multiple specialty varieties such as Totten Inlet Virginica, Kumamoto, Sumo Kumo, Shigoku, Fat Bastard, Pacific, and Beach Glass), Manila clams, Mediterranean mussels, and geoduck. The company also produces smoked and canned seafood under its Ekone sub-brand at an owned smokehouse and cannery in Shelton, Washington, and sells directly to consumers through e-commerce and four oyster bars in Seattle and Samish, as well as through wholesale channels to foodservice operators and retailers.

Product overview

Taylor Shellfish Farms is a fifth-generation family-owned shellfish farming operation in the Pacific Northwest, founded in 1890. The company operates as North America's largest oyster producer with vertical integration from harvest to distribution. The product portfolio centers on fresh shellfish (multiple oyster species, clams, mussels, geoduck) sold directly to consumers and foodservice, supported by four oyster bar locations. The company has expanded through the Ekone sub-brand, a tinned seafood line featuring smoked oysters, mussels, tuna, and salmon processed at the company's own cannery in Shelton, Washington. Additional offerings include meal kits, compound butters, shucking accessories, and merchandise. The company recently became the first ASC-certified bivalve farmer in the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ekone: Tinned and smoked seafood sub-brand of Taylor Shellfish Farms, offering smoked oysters, smoked mussels, albacore tuna, smoked scallops, and smoked salmon. Products are harvested from Taylor Shellfish farms, then smoked and canned at the company's smokehouse and cannery in Shelton, Washington. Marketed as 'From tide to tin.'

Products and services

• Fresh Shellfish (Oysters, Clams, Mussels, Geoduck) Live Pacific Northwest shellfish including specialty oyster varieties (Totten Inlet Virginica, Kumamoto, Sumo Kumo, Shigoku, Fat Bastard, Pacific, Beach Glass, Pacific Petites), Manila clams, Mediterranean mussels, and geoduck, harvested and shipped fresh to order for home cooks, restaurants, and retailers.
• Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bars Four company-owned dine-in oyster bar locations in Seattle and Samish offering fresh shellfish and prepared seafood, functioning as both retail dining destinations and brand showcases.
• Ekone Tinned Seafood Line

Quantifiable outcome

• First ASC-certified bivalve farmer in the US covering seven species
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ekone (internal brand)coreOthersEkone is a fifth-generation shellfish farming brand of Taylor Shellfish, producing smoked oysters, smoked mussels, albacore tuna, and smoked salmon at Taylor's own smokehouse and cannery in Shelton, Washington. The Ekone brand has been a trusted name for tinned seafood for over 35 years, operating with full vertical integration from tide to tin.
• Briney Sea DelicaseasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaylor Shellfish partnered with Briney Sea Delicaseas to bring premium smoked Pacific Northwest king salmon to customers. The smoked salmon is sourced from wild-caught king salmon in the pristine waters of Alaska and Canada, then brined and slow-smoked over 100% hardwood at Taylor's facilities.
• Vern's Food & FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaylor Shellfish partnered with Vern's Food & Farm to create proprietary compound butters (Garlic Herb Butter and Cajun Butter) for use with their shellfish products. These butters are included in Taylor's meal kits (Butter Clam Kit, Fried Oyster Kit) and sold separately.
• San Gennaro (Cioppino Sauce)minorOthersTaylor Shellfish offers San Gennaro Cioppino Base sauce in their meal kit offerings. San Gennaro Cioppino Base is a gluten-free, Mascio family recipe made with non-GMO ingredients and no added sugar, used in Taylor's Cioppino Kit.
• Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)coreOthersTaylor Shellfish Farms became the first ASC-certified bivalve farmer in the United States, a major third-party certification covering seven species. This certification validates the company's sustainable farming practices for the global market.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Island Creek Oysters: Duxbury, Massachusetts-based oyster farmer and D2C brand. Comparable in combining oyster farming with a strong consumer brand, restaurant wholesale, and national D2C shipping.
• Hog Island Oyster Company: Tomales Bay, California-based shellfish farmer operating oyster farming, wholesale, retail oyster bars, and D2C e-commerce. Most directly comparable US peer to Taylor in operating model, product mix, and channel strategy.
• Hama Hama Oyster: Fifth-generation family shellfish farm in Hood Canal, Washington. Operates oyster farming, a retail store, and D2C shipping with a comparable Pacific Northwest heritage brand position to Taylor.
• Rappahannock Oyster Company: Virginia-based oyster farm with D2C, wholesale, and multiple restaurant retail locations. Comparable vertically integrated shellfish farming and branded retail model.
• Tomales Bay Oyster Company: California shellfish farmer selling fresh oysters via wholesale and D2C channels. Directly comparable in species mix and farm-to-consumer shellfish distribution.
• Carlsbad Aquafarm: Southern California-based shellfish and aquatic farm offering oysters, mussels, clams, and abalone via farmers markets, retail, and wholesale. Comparable West Coast bivalve aquaculture operations.

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Seafood: Large family-owned US seafood company with vertically integrated harvesting, aquaculture, processing, and distribution. Overlaps with Taylor in shellfish sourcing and foodservice distribution but operates at far greater scale and breadth.
• Mowi: World's largest aquaculture company, primarily salmon, but increasingly active in shellfish and seafood processing globally. Comparable as a large-scale aquaculture operator with sustainability certifications in retailer channels.
• Thai Union Group: Global seafood manufacturer and distributor with branded tinned seafood portfolio (e.g., Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee). Overlaps with Taylor/Ekone in the value-added tinned shellfish category at much larger scale.
• Clearwater Seafoods: Canadian seafood harvester and processor with shellfish (clam, scallop) and broader seafood distribution. Comparable in premium shellfish harvesting/processing and sustainability certification positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/taylorshellfish
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/taylorshellfishfarms

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Taylor Shellfish Farms