Processing & Distributing: How Shelley Farms Oysters Get to Your Plate

🦪 From Dock to Dish, Every Step Matters

At Shelley Farms, bringing oysters from our waters to your plate isn’t just a business—it’s a carefully coordinated process built on quality, safety, and trust. Once our oysters are harvested and chilled, they begin the next leg of their journey: processing and distribution. It’s a behind-the-scenes operation that ensures every oyster you enjoy meets the highest standards of freshness and food safety.

🧊 From Harvest to Refrigeration

Immediately after harvesting—whether wild-caught from Gulf reefs or farm-raised using our off-bottom long-line method—our oysters are quickly cleaned, sorted, and refrigerated. Maintaining a cold chain from boat to buyer is critical. It locks in flavor, preserves texture, and most importantly, ensures safety.

👩‍🌾 Family-Run, Start to Finish

Unlike many large-scale distributors, the Shelley family handles every step of the process. As certified harvesters, processors, and dealers, we:

• Personally hand-pick oysters for shell presentation and meat quality

• Sort and select oysters for in-shell sales, shucking, or specialty shipping

• Package and tag every sack with full traceability

• Oversee cold storage and delivery to ensure freshness from farm to fork

Whether it’s boutique oysters for a raw bar, pre-shucked half shells for grilling, or wholesale orders for restaurants and seafood markets, our family’s name is behind every shipment.

🛡️ Certified & Regulated for Safety

Every part of the oyster supply chain is regulated by both state and federal agencies, including the Louisiana Department of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These regulations:

• Monitor water quality in growing areas

• Require strict refrigeration and handling timelines

• Enforce labeling and tagging protocols

• Certify harvesters, processors, and dealers through rigorous inspection

At Shelley Farms, we take these standards seriously—not only to meet regulatory requirements, but to exceed them. Our goal is simple: to provide the safest, freshest oysters possible.

🚚 Destination: Your Table

Once packaged, our oysters are distributed to a variety of customers across the Gulf South and beyond—chefs, restaurants, seafood markets, and individuals who know the value of a Louisiana-grown oyster done right. We offer:

• Farm-direct shipping for freshness

• Versatile product options (live, pre-shucked, and half shell)

• Reliable cold-chain delivery and tracking

So the next time you bite into a perfectly briny Shelley Farms oyster, know that it’s been handled with care—from the moment it left the water to the second it reaches your plate.

Shell by shell, we’re proud to bring the coast to your table.