Island Creek Oysters: Duxbury Bay, Massachusetts, Since 1995

Founded in 1995 by Skip Bennett, Island Creek Oysters has grown into one of the largest and most reputable oyster businesses in the United States. Based in Duxbury, Massachusetts, it sells more than 10 million oysters a year to restaurants, distributors and individual oyster lovers across the globe — including Eataly USA.

It began with Skip Bennett

It started with a crazy idea. A native of Duxbury, Skip Bennett planted his first oysters in 1995, after a few years of farming quahog clams. Many told him it was a bad business venture: oysters must be harvested by hand and need at least 24 months to grow, enduring a long battle against tides and sea predators.

Skip persevered and was soon joined by Christian Horne, an oyster farmer from Maine. After a few years, they began selling their catch to local restaurants.

Duxbury Bay

All Island Creek oysters are grown in Duxbury Bay, where conditions are ideal. A constant northerly wind and large tidal flow keep the water cold year-round. That forces the oysters to grow a thick shell and produce extra glycogen — oyster fat — which complements the briny start with a sweet, buttery finish. The oysters do not spawn, so they can be harvested year-round.

Intense care goes into every step, from seed growth to harvest. Before shipment, the oysters are hand sorted into six sizes and inspected for quality. In 2010, the National Shellfish Association named Island Creek Oysters the best oyster in America.

Oysters as a world

Today Island Creek sells more than 200,000 oysters a week, possible thanks to innovation in reducing harvest time and the ability to grow oysters year-round. The team includes 35 employees in the wholesale company, 10 farms in Duxbury, a non-profit foundation that funds aquaculture and sustainability projects and five oyster bar restaurants in Boston.

Find your local Eataly to practice your oyster shucking and get a taste for yourself.