Maine Processor Has An Incredible Way Of Getting Lobster Out Of Its Shell

Maine has more lobsters than it knows what to do with.

With catches more than double what they were a decade ago - due to more fishermen, fewer predators, warmer water, and good conversation - the industry is struggling with pricing pressure and distribution constraints. Processing is the best way to expand distribution, but it's an underdeveloped industry, currently dominated by the Canadians.

Shucks Maine Lobster, an innovative processor near Portland is looking to expand operations. Shucks is one of just 16 processors in the state, according to the company's president John Hathaway. It's the only place in the United States that uses water pressure rather than cooking to loosen the meat from the shell, allowing workers to extract the meat in one piece (some Canadian processors use similar methods).

This processing method allows Shucks to sell packaged lobster in its raw form, producing a fresher meal for buyers around the country. Restaurants and supermarkets can use the product in lieu of live lobsters, which are expensive to ship and store. Individual consumers like the so-called "Lazy Man's Lobster" because they don't have to deal with the trauma and mess of boiling and shucking a live lobster.

It's an impressive product, but the local industry still faces obstacles. Building new processing plants won't be cheap, and Shucks' multimillion dollar high pressure processor is particularly expensive. Then there's the challenge of developing a new market.

"There's a huge demand for Maine lobster," Hathaway said. "Outside of New England there are 300 million people that would potentially buy lobster if it were delivered in a convenient way." The biggest obstacle, he added, "is distribution and opening up those channels from the East Coast to West Coast and in between."

We toured the Shucks plant for a closer look at this innovative technology.