Let's Talk Oysters

Our exclusive Goldie's Oyster

Spring Racing is around the corner and Summer isn’t far behind.

If oysters are on your spring and summer menus,

now is the time to start planning.

Oysters are a specialty at Red Coral Seafoods. We source from farms and growing regions across Australia, allowing us to move as quality and availability change.

This week our Sydney Rocks and Pacifics are coming from Coffin Bay, Smoky Bay, Boomer Bay, Duck Bay, Little Swanport,

Merimbula Lake and the Clyde River.

And if that’s not enough choice, we also

have them across

four different sizes - Bottle, Bistro, Buffet and Standard.

Why so many options?

Because the best oyster today won't necessarily be the best oyster in December.

WE CHASE THE OYSTER, NOT THE FARM

A Merimbula Rock might be fantastic this month, but if the quality drops, we move to a better oyster from another estuary. We follow the quality and buy accordingly. It's a big part of what we do.

ROCK OR PACIFIC?

Sydney Rock Oysters are smaller, with a more mineral, earthy and complex flavour, with quality varying between NSW growing regions.

Pacific Oysters are larger and meatier, with ocean brine and a sweet, creamy finish, sourced from Tasmania and South Australia.

Both are great oysters, the trick is knowing which one is

eating best when you need it.

AND THAT'S WHERE SUMMER GETS INTERESTING

SUMMER, SPAWNING AND WHY IT MATTERS

As the water warms, oysters enter their natural spawning cycle. Before spawning they're plump, creamy and full of glycogen, but afterwards can become thinner and watery.

The problem? It happens when demand is highest, Spring Racing, Christmas functions, weddings, summer menus and New Year's Eve.

Simply having an oyster available isn't enough.

It needs to be an oyster we're happy to put in front of your customers.

That's why we monitor the condition coming out of different growing areas and move between farms and estuaries when we need to.

It's also where triploid oysters become particularly useful.

POMS – ANOTHER PART OF THE EQUATION

POMS (Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome) is a virus affecting Pacific Oysters that can cause significant farm losses. It poses no human health risk, but can impact future supply, another reason we don't rely on

one farm or growing region.

And just when spawning, seasonality, POMS and summer demand weren't enough to keep everyone busy,

we've had another issue come to the forefront...

ALGAL BLOOMS

You've probably seen recent coverage of algal blooms affecting Australian coastal areas. Oysters naturally filter algae, but when certain blooms reach elevated levels, authorities may temporarily close growing

areas as a food-safety precaution.

These food-safety closures can stop supply from a growing area immediately. In 2026, we've seen disruptions across South Australia, Tasmania and NSW, reinforcing why we don't rely on one oyster, farm, size or region.

DON'T RELY ON ONE FARM, ONE SIZE, ONE ESTUARY OR ONE STATE

There are a lot of moving parts behind what looks like a fairly simple product.

Seasonality, spawning, farm condition, POMS, algal blooms, weather, harvest closures and demand can all influence what's available and, more importantly, what's actually worth buying.

Sometimes things can change very quickly.

Having relationships across multiple farms, estuaries, growing regions and states means we're not tied to one source when that happens.

WHAT'S A TRIPLOID?

Triploids are bred with three sets of chromosomes and are effectively sterile. Because they don't go through the normal reproductive cycle in the same way as conventional oysters, they can maintain much better meat condition through the warmer months.

They give us an

other option when summer spawning starts affecting conventional stock. The cost is a little more, but nothing compared to what a bad oyster looks like to your guests.

WE MOVE A LOT OF OYSTERS

During normal trading we can move up to 36,000 oysters a week, climbing to around 120,000 during peak periods. That volume gives us strong grower relationships and access to supply, but the important part

is knowing what to buy.

If quality drops, spawning affects stock or a growing area closes, we can move to another farm or region. For major functions, we can also plan requirements in advance rather than chasing thousands of oysters at the last minute.

Our job is simple: find you the best available oyster for the day you need it and keep your kitchen supplied.

When you're serving hundreds or thousands of oysters through Spring Racing, Christmas and summer, having those options matters.

LET'S PLAN YOUR SUMMER OYSTERS

If oysters are going to be a big part of your Spring Racing, Christmas, function or summer menus, give us a call now

rather than waiting until December.

We can talk through Sydney Rocks versus Pacifics, different growing regions, sizes, flavour profiles, triploids, presentation,

expected volumes and forward requirements,

and work out what makes sense for your menu.

 Whether you need a few dozen oysters for regular service or thousands for a major function, we'd rather have the conversation early and plan it properly.

You concentrate on the menu. We'll chase the oysters.

LET'S TALK OYSTERS.

Contact your Red Coral representative and let's start planning your spring and summer oyster requirements.