FERME MARINE PAIMPOLAISE

What FERME MARINE PAIMPOLAISE does

Ferme Marine Paimpolaise (family Arin) is a fourth-generation French oyster farming business operating continuously since 1947 from the Kerarzic peninsula in Baie de Paimpol, Brittany. The company cultivates three distinct oyster products across three sites: Huîtres de Kerarzic (fine, iodated; bag-on-table on the foreshore), Huîtres de Saint-Riom (balanced and fleshier; bag-on-table near Île Saint-Riom, available October–April), and Huîtres des Héaux de Bréhat (premium 'special' oysters; suspended Australian baskets at the Bréhat archipelago, with experimental deep-water cage work). All operations hold AB (Agriculture Biologique) certification awarded at the end of 2016, and the oyster bar in 2020 and 2022 has won multiple Gold and Silver medals at the Concours Général Agricole de Paris. The business is structured as a family EARL with no external investors and ~10 permanent employees supplemented by seasonal workers.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market across five channels: an owned e-boutique (huitrearin.com) shipping across metropolitan France with a seasonal June–September shipping suspension; on-site retail at the Kerarzic farm; weekly farmers markets in Saint-Brieuc and Paimpol plus seasonal markets in the Paris region; an April–September oyster bar overlooking the bay; and a mobile Seafood Truck for private and corporate events. Wholesale delivery rounds supply a network of resellers throughout Côtes d'Armor and beyond. Pricing is unit-based, ranging from approximately €5.50 per dozen for on-site retail up to €69.50 per dozen for premium Bréhat oysters online, with volume discounts above 15 dozen. Current management is the sibling partnership of Cécile Arin (commercial/administration) and André Arin (production), who assumed control in 2003. Production volume is approximately 300 tonnes annually with a 3–4 year oyster growth cycle.

The operating geography is domestic-only (France métropolitaine excluding Corsica); there is no app, no public API, no disclosed funding, and no parent company. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Expansion activity is concentrated in channel and experiential extensions (Seafood Truck, Paris region markets, curated local supplier ecosystem at the oyster bar) and in cultivation R&D rather than in geographic or category diversification.

Name

FERME MARINE PAIMPOLAISE

Legal name

FERME MARINE PAIMPOLAISE EARL

Website

https://huitrearin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ferme Marine Paimpolaise is a fourth-generation family oyster farm (Arin family, est. 1947) in Paimpol, Brittany, selling three AB-certified oyster SKUs direct-to-consumer via e-commerce, farm retail, weekly farmers markets, a seasonal oyster bar, and a mobile Seafood Truck.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oyster Farming / Aquaculture

NAICS

Shellfish Farming (112512), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (424460), Fish and Seafood Retailers (44525)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAEAAAB

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

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Aquaculture (Fish & Shellfish Farming)

SECONDARYCRAHAHAC

Seafood Markets & Fishmongers

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Fresh Food Specialists (Produce, Meat, Seafood)

SECONDARYAFAIADAD

Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen)

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Meat, Poultry & Seafood Wholesale

Keywords

• Oyster farming
• Oyster cultivation
• Organic shellfish
• Fresh seafood retail
• Aquaculture production

Headquarters

HQ city

Paimpol

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Oyster Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling fresh oysters directly to consumers through e-commerce, on-site retail, and farmers markets. Products sold in various calibers (n°2 to n°4) and pack sizes (3-8 dozen per order).
2. On-site Consumption (Oyster Bar): Seasonal oyster bar operation at the farm offering direct consumption experience with panoramic views of Baie de Paimpol, serving oysters with accompaniments during April-September period.
3. Seafood Truck Events: Mobile oyster bar service for private and professional events (weddings, birthdays, corporate events, festivals), providing on-site catering and service.
4. Ancillary Products: Sales of complementary products including clams, Bouchot mussels, seafood conserves, rillettes, coastal accessories, and local beverages (ciders, wines, craft beers).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ferme Marine Paimpolaise cultivates and sells three distinct oyster varieties (Huîtres de Kerarzic, Huîtres de St-Riom, Huîtres des Héaux de Bréhat) from three cultivation sites in Brittany using organic farming methods. The company sells oysters directly to consumers through its e-commerce platform, on-site retail, weekly farmers markets, a seasonal oyster bar, and a mobile seafood truck for events, with additional ancillary products including clams, mussels, seafood conserves, and local beverages.

Product overview

FERME MARINE PAIMPOLAISE (family Arin) is an oyster farming business operating since 1947 from Kerarzic peninsula in Baie de Paimpol, Brittany. The core offering is three distinct oyster products — Huîtres de Kerarzic (fine/iodated, gold medal), Huîtres de St-Riom (balanced/flavourful, gold medal), and Huîtres des Héaux de Bréhat (special/fleshy, silver medal) — all cultivated on the north Brittany coast using classic bag-on-table and Australian basket methods, with a 3–4 year production cycle. These are sold through multiple channels: a direct-to-consumer e-boutique (online store), an on-site retail space at the farm, seasonal Saturday markets in Brittany and the Paris region, an oyster bar open April–September, and a mobile Seafood Truck for private events. The company holds AB (Agriculture Biologique) organic certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Huîtres de Kerarzic: Fine and iodized oysters typical of Breton production, cultivated on the Kerarzic peninsula in the Bay of Paimpol.
• Huîtres de Saint-Riom
• Huîtres des Héaux de Bréhat
• Seafood Truck
• Bar à huîtres

Products and services

• Huîtres de Kerarzic Oysters cultivated on the foreshore of the Kerarzic peninsula in Baie de Paimpol using classic bag-on-table structures, described as fine and iodated and typical of Breton production. Available in calibers N°2, N°3, and N°4, priced from €58.40, with volume discounts on larger orders.
• Huîtres de St-Riom Oysters grown in parks bordering Île Saint-Riom off Ploubazlanec, contained in bags on tables and fed on richer phytoplankton waters, yielding consistent flesh and a violine-hued shell. Described as balanced in flavor and fleshier than a classic Breton oyster while remaining well-iodated, available October through April, priced from €65.00.
• Huîtres des Héaux de Bréhat Special-category oysters cultivated at the tip of the Sillon de Talbert protecting the Bréhat archipelago, grown in suspended Australian baskets on lines strung between posts and constantly moved by waves and swell. Produces round oysters with a hard shell, violine exterior, and very high flesh content, priced from €69.50.
• E-boutique (Online Store) Company-owned e-commerce platform enabling direct online ordering of oysters, with pack sizes of 3–8 dozen, multiple caliber options, free delivery in metropolitan France, and a maximum 48-hour delivery window.
• Bar à huîtres (Oyster Bar) Seasonal on-site oyster tasting bar at the Kerarzic farm overlooking Baie de Paimpol, open during the warm season. Serves oysters and clams with accompaniments and local beverages. Available for private hire.
• Seafood Truck (Mobile Oyster Bar) Mobile oyster bar serving fresh oysters and shellfish at private and professional events such as weddings, anniversaries, inaugurations, and company seminars, traveling to the event venue.
• Vente à emporter (On-site Retail Sales) On-site retail space at the Kerarzic farm selling oysters by the dozen (from €5.50/dozen), seasonal shellfish including clams and Bouchot mussels, and a selection of local conserves and seafood spreads, open year-round with extended summer hours.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products shipped to arrive within 24 hours on average after order processing
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• La Paimpolaise (Conserverie)minorOthersLocal seafood conserverie providing rillettes, fish flakes (émiettés), soups, and marinated shellfish products branded 'Tapas de la mer' for sale at the Kerarzic farm retail space.
• Ker Lagadeuc (Conserverie)minorOthersArtisanal seafood conserverie supplying marine rillettes for resale at the farm's take-away and retail location.
• Alain MilliatminorOthersPremium fruit juice provider whose products are served at the oyster bar as part of the beverage selection.
• Brasserie PhilomennminorOthersLocal craft brewery in Trégor region providing blonde and rousse (amber) beer options for the oyster bar.
• Cidrerie La Bolée de PaimpolminorOthersLocal cider producer whose products complement the oyster tasting experience at the seasonal bar.
• Domaine de la TucauderieminorOthersLocal wine producer supplying muscadets and wines served at the oyster bar and available for retail purchase at the farm.
• Glacier Éric ElienminorOthersLocal artisan ice cream maker offering caramel, vanilla, and lemon sorbet options as dessert at the oyster bar during summer season.
• Benoît Le BotcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate partner who led the reconversion of the Héaux de Bréhat site from mussel Bouchot cultivation to oyster farming, and continues to develop innovative basket and cage cultivation techniques for producing the 'special' Bréhat oysters.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tarbouriech: Mediterranean oyster farmer (Marseillan) famous for innovation (oyster wellness baths) and on-site agritourism (spa, tasting, restaurant). Closely mirrors Ferme Marine Paimpolaise's strategy of layering experience-based revenue on top of premium oyster production.
• Maison Gillardeau: Iconic French premium oyster brand, multi-generational family operation producing labelled oysters across several Atlantic sites with strong D2C and wholesale presence. Closest comparable in brand premiumisation, multi-site cultivation, and medal-driven marketing.
• Huîtres Geairain: Multi-generation family oyster farm on Brittany's north coast producing labelled oysters with direct sales channels. Comparable as a similarly sized, family-run, premium Breton oyster operation.
• Huîtres Legris: Family-run Breton oyster producer operating across south Brittany sites. Comparable as a small-to-mid French oyster farm with multi-site cultivation and direct sales to consumers and resellers.
• Compagnie Bretonne de l'Huître: Breton oyster producer and distributor consolidating regional oyster brands. Comparable as a fellow Brittany-based oyster operator with multi-site production and a focus on distributing Breton oysters to national retail and foodservice.

Broad incumbents

• Pêcheries de Cornouaille: Breton seafood producer/distributor active in oyster and shellfish categories. Comparable as a regional industry peer involved in oyster harvesting, packaging, and distribution from Brittany's Atlantic coast.
• EurOcéan: Larger Breton seafood company active in fishing, aquaculture, and seafood distribution. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same Breton shellfish ecosystem, though operating at significantly larger scale and across a wider product portfolio.

Regional players

• Huîtres de Cancale (collective): Cancale-based oyster producers organised around the town's traditional oyster port brand. Comparable as a regional peer with deep-rooted Brittany provenance, focused on premium Cancale oysters for retail and foodservice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/huitresarin
• Instagraminstagram.com/huitres_arin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ferme-marine-paimpolaise

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 FERME MARINE PAIMPOLAISE