We cultivate two types of oyster; the Native and the pacific Gigas or commonly known, Rock oyster. Native oysters are typically available between September and April when there is an “R in the month”. Rock oysters are available all year round.
The oysters are cultivated in creeks of Mersea & Tollesbury oyster beds and, when ready for market, are harvested by hand picking & using our own fishing boat, Virley Native.

Once ready for processing, the oysters are brought to our own CEFAS-approved , shellfish purification (or depuration) centre on the waterfront at Tollesbury for treatment. This bespoke facility can be scaled to ensure we produce the correct number of oysters for the market so they are always fresh and ready.

The depuration process involves circulating salt/fresh water mix through the oysters, which is treated with UV light for 42 hours to destroy bacteria and impurities. At the end of the depuration process a selection of treated oysters from each batch is sent for independent batch-testing for a “Health Mark” to ensure purity before sale. In addition, the oyster beds are regularly tested for viruses such as Norovirus to guarantee customer-safety.

With the introduction of a fully-owned depuration facility, Essex Oysters is now managing the end-to-end oyster process so you can be assured of the quality and safety of the product.