Our Process
With nearly 60 years’ experience, our processes are carefully refined to ensure our customers receive the freshest, highest-quality wild oysters, while maintaining strong standards of environmental care and sustainability.
Harvesting
Barnes Wild Bluff Oysters are harvested seasonally by experienced local oystermen from established deep-water beds in the cold waters of Foveaux Strait. Oysters are hand sorted immediately on board to ensure quality and freshness before returning to the Port of Bluff for prompt transport to our processing facility.
To support the long-term health of the fishery, we operate well above the legal minimum size of 58mm. Any oysters smaller than 62mm are returned directly to the seabed at the time of harvest.
Processing and distribution
All processing takes place at our purpose-built facility in Invercargill, just 25 kilometres from Bluff. Oysters arrive fresh and chilled within hours of harvest, where they are opened, hand sorted and carefully washed in saltwater brine.
Once packed, products are transported by trusted freight partners under strict temperature control, ensuring they arrive fresh and in peak condition.
Food safety
We operate under a New Zealand Food Safety Authority risk management programme specific to bivalve shellfish. Our processing environment is clean, controlled and closely monitored to ensure the highest food safety standards.
Our emphasis on hygiene and temperature control allows our wild oysters to be enjoyed fresh and safely in their natural raw state. As with all fresh seafood, products should be kept refrigerated and consumed before the use-by date clearly marked on each package.