Today, the wild Gulf oyster is functionally extinct. Decades of overharvesting, oil spills, rising salinity, and the intensifying pressure of climate change have wiped out more than 85% of our natural reefs. For too long, the narrative has been that the waters of the South are too warm or too troubled to produce a world-class oyster. We believe that narrative is wrong.

The Gulf Oyster's history in the Everglades dates back thousands of years ago. Oysters were once the lifeblood of Florida, a vital resource for the Calusa tribe [the "Shell Indians"] who built civilizations and massive pyramids from oyster shells that rivaled the great monuments of Egypt. But over the last century, that abundance has vanished.

At Everglades Oysters, we looked at these empty waters not as a graveyard, but as a blank canvas for regeneration.

How do you fight the stigma of the "Southern Oyster"? You innovate. Our team utilizes a cutting-edge "floating flip-farm" system. Instead of sitting stagnant in the mud, our oysters grow in log-shaped pontoons that float at the water's surface, where nutrients are richest. The natural movement of the waves tumbles the oysters, shaping them into the perfect, deep cups chefs desire.

To mimic the tides, we manually "flip" these cages, exposing the oysters to the tropical sun to clean them of barnacles and algae naturally, a process called desiccation. But our true secret weapon is speed. We operate on a direct-to-chef model with zero inventory. Our oysters are still in the water when a chef places an order and are harvested, cooled, and delivered within 24 hours. This race against the clock ensures safety, beats the heat, and delivers a briny, sweet flavor profile that rivals any cold-water bivalve.