Four years ago, if someone had asked SmartOyster co-founder Ewan McAsh where the best place to store fresh oysters was, he would have said: the river. But now, live tanks are the key to business survival. They can survive crises like bushfires, floods, and even Covid.
A solution for Pacific oysters in times of crisis
Keeping fresh for longer after harvest
Initially, we weren’t sure this would work. Since oysters aren’t shipped directly from the river, they tend to spoil quickly. This is a complaint from chefs and consumers. This tank solves that problem. It allows the oysters to rest after processing while still maintaining quality. And thanks to that, the harvesters also have less trouble.” – Ewan said.
Thanks to this solution, it is completely possible to harvest oysters in the best weather and condition. At the same time, businesses will always have goods available for sale on all days of the week. When having to temporarily stop harvesting due to natural disasters or floods, businesses can still maintain their income.
Easy storage and transportation of oysters
During Covid, when most restaurants are closed, businesses can switch to retail and online thanks to live oyster storage boxes before. At the same time, there are full facilities for storing, handling and transporting oysters, including small quantities.
It was Ewan who started Signature Oysters – a direct-to-consumer model. This is very different from the traditional wholesale method. Although it can handle up to 3,000 dozen oysters at a time, high-tech machinery is not effective for small orders. That’s where the oyster storage bin really comes into play.
With a capacity of up to 1,000 dozen, the business can use wholesale processing and packaging equipment to handle small orders for the next few weeks. Ensuring the oysters remain fresh.
Suitable for many other types of seafood
It looks like a large fish tank. The oyster storage bin is also designed to suit abalone, lobster and many other fresh seafood. They use UV light, carbon filters and specialized refrigeration equipment.
This is great for oysters because they are almost always in a state of hibernation. Although they still breathe, they do not need to eat and can rest for a few more days after harvest, but still ensure the quality and extend the shelf life.
How long do live oysters stay fresh in a barrel?
We can store oysters in a barrel for 8-12 weeks. Oysters are very hardy and probably prefer this environment. Even after three months, the oysters are still as good as when they were first placed in them. However, units usually only keep them for about 7-10 days.
Using a fresh oyster storage tank helps avoid many risks
Overcoming natural disasters and epidemics
After installing the first storage tank in 2016, Ewan added two more to his facility. This helped his business to operate uninterrupted. Especially during the devastating 2019/2020 bushfires in Australia.
The fire almost completely destroyed everything in the life force where we worked. The area was then hit by another major flood. Although the authorities were able to put out the fire, the entire river was blocked. Until the water cleared and the salinity returned to normal.
In the past, the river was rarely blocked for more than 10-12 days, but this time it was 4-5 weeks. In early 2020 alone, three such forest fires occurred in a row.
Live oyster storage bins help businesses maintain cash flow
Putting oysters in live storage bins will help businesses maintain cash flow until they can harvest again. It is really convenient because it can also store and sell other farmers’ products.
Faced with climate change, natural disasters and uncertain developments occurring more and more frequently, businesses decided to expand their scale. Because this solution will help businesses better withstand the crisis.
Without these fresh oyster storage bins, businesses may face additional financial pressure. At the same time, they cannot control their supply chain well. Then they will have no choice but to sell oysters at a lower price.
Ensure Always Have Stock Available
Fresh oyster storage bins help businesses always have a certain amount of inventory available to sell. Instead of having to harvest each order, they canTo sell what is in stock and with the best quality. For online sales, this solution is even more effective.
Quite a few farmers have called to ask about how to sell oysters during this difficult period and received enthusiastic guidance. Many people have worked hard to build Coebsites for online sales. But not everyone realizes the core problem here.
It would be a nightmare to try to harvest according to orders every day. Even if it is only in small quantities. Realizing that, businesses have invested in live storage tanks to overcome this. At the same time, it helps their business become more convenient.
Another advantage of live oyster storage tanks is that it also saves time. You will not need to process oysters many times. Usually, each time you harvest, there will be a surplus of oysters that you cannot sell immediately (wholesale). Therefore, you have to return them to the natural water environment and then process them again. But with a live oyster storage bin, you don’t have to do that anymore.
Source: Vietnam Seafarming Association
