The Lusty Lobster

What The Lusty Lobster does

The Lusty Lobster is a family-owned seafood market and wholesaler headquartered at 88 Bay Ave, Highlands, New Jersey, founded in 1980 (originally as Douty Bros.) by brothers Bayard (Dick) Douty and Doug Douty. The company operates a single physical storefront and sells live Maine lobsters, fresh and frozen seafood, shellfish, fillets and steaks, shrimp and crab, soups and stocks, prepared heat-and-serve items, party platters, sauces, caviar, and gift certificates, with a catalog of 109+ active SKUs. It serves two principal customer cohorts: individual retail consumers (local Jersey Shore walk-ins plus nationwide DTC e-commerce buyers) and wholesale food-service buyers (restaurants, caterers, and hotels).

The business makes money through four interlocking revenue streams: in-store retail sales, online e-commerce orders (with FedEx shipping nationwide Tuesday-Saturday), wholesale distribution to food-service operators, and shipping/handling fees (including Saturday and priority overnight surcharges). Pricing is unit-based, ranging from roughly $6 (chowder) to $386 (large party platters), with $25-$100 gift certificates and custom amounts available. Sourcing is direct from suppliers across major East Coast ports from Nova Scotia to Florida, which the company cites as the basis for cost-competitive pricing and product breadth.

The technology stack is a standard WordPress e-commerce storefront; no proprietary systems, APIs, AI/ML capabilities, or third-party integrations are disclosed. The marketing footprint spans Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, and an email newsletter. Operations are manual and relationship-driven: order-by-12pm rules for same-day pickup and overnight shipping, a single store open Tuesday-Saturday with seasonal hours, and live-lobster delivery excluded to Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The company remains private, family-held (now in its second generation), with no external funding, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no M&A history.

Name

The Lusty Lobster

Legal name

The Lusty Lobster

Website

https://bestlobster.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Lusty Lobster is a family-owned Jersey Shore seafood market and wholesaler, founded in 1980, selling live Maine lobsters, fresh and frozen seafood, party platters, and gift certificates to retail consumers nationwide via FedEx and to restaurants and caterers through wholesale distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seafood Retail & Wholesale

NAICS

Fish and Seafood Retailers (445250), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (3117), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (311710)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Seafood Markets & Fishmongers (CRAHAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seafood Wholesale (Fresh & Frozen) (AFAIADAD), Shellfish Value-Added Products (Shucked Oysters, Mussels, Clams; Cooked/Marinated) (AFANALAK), Frozen Seafood Meals & Value-Added Seafood (CRADADAG)

Keywords

• Fresh seafood retail
• Live lobster distribution
• Seafood wholesale supply
• Party platter catering
• Online seafood market

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlantic Highlands

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Seafood Sales: In-store retail sales of live Maine lobsters, live shellfish, fresh seafood, and frozen seafood products directly to consumers at their Highlands, NJ location.
2. Wholesale Seafood Distribution: Large wholesale business supplying restaurants, caterers, and other businesses with seafood products. The company works with suppliers in all major ports from Nova Scotia to Florida to source quality seafood at competitive prices.
3. Online E-commerce Sales: Online ordering through their website with options for store pickup or FedEx shipping. They offer gift certificates in various denominations ($25, $50, $100) and can email gift cards for same-day delivery.
4. Shipping & Handling: Revenue generated from shipping fees via FedEx, including standard delivery, expedited overnight, priority overnight, and Saturday delivery surcharges. Live lobster delivery requires expedited shipping methods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Lusty Lobster is a family-owned Jersey Shore seafood market and full-line wholesaler operating since 1980 (originally as Douty Bros.). It sells live Maine lobsters, live and fresh shellfish, fresh and frozen seafood, prepared heat-and-serve items, party platters, fine caviars, and gift certificates to retail consumers via its Highlands, NJ storefront with nationwide FedEx shipping, and to restaurants, caterers, and food-service operators through its wholesale operation.

Product overview

The Lusty Lobster is a family-owned Jersey Shore seafood market and wholesaler operating since 1980, originally founded as Douty Bros. The business offers a comprehensive seafood portfolio centered around live Maine lobsters, fresh and frozen seafood from global sources, shellfish, shrimp and crab, prepared heat-and-serve items, and party platters. Products span multiple categories including Lobsters, Fillets & Steaks, Fresh and Frozen Seafood, Shellfish, Shrimp & Crab, Soups & Stocks, Heat & Serve prepared items, Party Platters, Sauces & Salads & Dips, Gift Certificates, and Fine Caviars. The company operates as a traditional retail and wholesale seafood business with online ordering and FEDEX shipping capabilities for domestic delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lobsters Live Maine lobsters and fresh/frozen lobster tails in various sizes, sold to retail consumers at the Highlands, NJ store, shipped nationwide via FedEx, and supplied to wholesale food-service customers.
• Shellfish Live and fresh shellfish including littleneck, top neck, and steamer clams; Great White, Maryland, and Sugar Shack oysters; and PEI mussels, sold to retail and wholesale customers.
• Fresh Seafood Fresh wild-caught seafood including various fish, day-boat sea scallops, and specialty items, sourced for retail walk-in and online customers.
• Frozen Seafood Frozen seafood assortment including lobster tails, fish, shrimp, and dumplings/gyoza, available for online ordering and FedEx shipping nationwide.
• Shrimp & Crab Wild, jumbo, and cocktail shrimp; Alaskan King Crab legs; Snow Crab; and pasteurized crabmeat products sold to retail and wholesale buyers.
• Fillets & Steaks Fresh and frozen fish fillets and steaks including salmon, cod, halibut, tuna, swordfish, Chilean Sea Bass, and Mahi-Mahi.
• Soups & Stocks Ready-to-serve soups and stocks including Manhattan and New England clam chowder, fish stock, lobster stock, shrimp stock, and clam juice.
• Heat & Serve Ready-to-heat prepared seafood items including crab cakes, stuffed clams, crab and lobster mac and cheese, taco kits, and dips for at-home or event consumption.
• Party Platters Ready-to-serve party platters featuring shrimp, crab, and lobster tail combinations in multiple sizes (priced $50–$386) for events serving 2 to 30+ guests.
• Sauces, Salads & Dips Accompaniments including cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, honey mustard, marinades, tuna/shrimp/salmon/potato salads, coleslaw, spreads, and smoked seafood.
• Fine Caviars Premium caviar selections including Classic California White Sturgeon Caviar, Alaskan Salmon Caviar (red caviar), and specialty roe products.
• Gift Certificates Gift cards available in $25, $50, and $100 denominations with custom amounts on request, deliverable by email (same-day) or First Class Mail, including to P.O. boxes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 109 seafood products available for online ordering
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FedExcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary shipping partner for all domestic deliveries. FedEx handles all package deliveries including standard, expedited overnight, priority overnight, ground, and Saturday delivery options. PERISHIP service is used for perishables. All food packages and air letters are shipped via FedEx with Driver Release authorization for door deliveries.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fulton Fish Market: Iconic NYC seafood market operating both wholesale and online retail with nationwide shipping of fresh fish, shellfish, and live lobsters. Closely comparable as a long-standing Northeast seafood brand with a parallel retail/wholesale dual model.
• Lobster Anywhere: Online live-lobster and seafood shipper delivering overnight from Maine to residences across the U.S. Comparable as a digital-first DTC competitor in the live Maine lobster category that Lusty Lobster also dominates.
• Citarella: NYC-based gourmet seafood market and online retailer offering fresh fish, live lobsters, shellfish, and prepared items. Comparable as a premium Northeast seafood retailer with both storefront and DTC shipping capabilities.
• Browne Trading Company: Portland, Maine-based seafood retailer and wholesaler specializing in fresh fish, shellfish, caviar, and smoked seafood with nationwide shipping. Comparable as a high-end seafood specialist competing in the same premium DTC niche.
• Maine Lobster Now: Online direct-from-Maine lobster and seafood shipper delivering live lobsters, clams, mussels, and prepared items nationwide. Comparable as a digitally native DTC competitor targeting the same gifting and at-home cooking customer.
• The Lobster Place: Chelsea Market-based seafood market and wholesaler selling fresh fish, live lobsters, shellfish, and prepared seafood to retail and food-service customers. Directly comparable as a multi-channel (retail + wholesale + DTC) seafood operator anchored in the Northeast.
• Harbor Fish Market: Portland, Maine retail and wholesale seafood market selling fresh fish, shellfish, and lobsters locally and online. Comparable as a family-run multi-generational Northeast seafood market with a parallel retail/wholesale model.

Emerging players

• Cameron's Seafood Market: Online Maryland-based seafood retailer shipping crabs, lobster, and fresh seafood nationwide. Comparable as a digital-first DTC seafood competitor focused on gifting and live-lobster categories.

Regional players

• Seattle Fish Company: Large Midwest/Mountain-West seafood wholesaler and distributor serving restaurants and food-service operators. Comparable as a regional wholesale seafood distributor with a different geographic footprint than Lusty Lobster's Northeast focus.

Broad incumbents

• D'Artagnan: National online specialty foods retailer selling premium meats, seafood, and prepared items with nationwide shipping. Comparable as a broader-portfolio DTC food brand that overlaps on premium seafood and prepared offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lustylobster
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCS0tmCYGRve1_NJ4x5HpT9A
• Facebookfacebook.com/lustylobster
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-lusty-lobster
• Instagraminstagram.com/lobsterlusty
• Pinterestpinterest.com/lusty_lobster

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Lusty Lobster