Paul Piazza & Son Inc., a large processor of wild-caught Gulf of Mexico Shrimp based in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A., has launched a direct-to-consumer online store.
The new store, according to a company press release, was established to respond to growing requests to purchase its products in locations the company may not have had market penetration. The store offers the company’s most popular products for shipping direct from Louisiana.
"We began to see a particularly high number of requests on our website coming from areas in which we aren't already selling through retailers," Andy Neely, the company's vice president of sales, said. "The Paul Piazza brands can be found in many areas of the U.S. through our valued retail partners, but there are places where people can't buy our shrimp in a store or want a broader product selection."
Product on offer include wild-caught shell-on headless shrimp in sizes from 10/15 to 21/30, peeled and deveined gulf shrimp in sizes from 21/30 to 70/90, and “Texas Premier” wild-caught brown shrimp, shell-on headless, from 10/15 to 21/30.
The timing for the launch coincides with potential shortages of beef, pork, and poultry that have surfaced during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.
“Shrimp processors like Piazza, which has "excellent" SQF (Safe Quality Food) ratings for food safety, have avoided such problems and have an ample supply of wild-caught Gulf shrimp ready to be shipped to consumers, restaurants and retailers anywhere in the U.S.,” the company stated in a release.
The company also said demand has likely increased due to more consumers making an effort to buy American.
The company, which has been in business for more than 125 years, processes more than 30 million pounds of shrimp annually, and is one of the largest vertically-integrated suppliers in the U.S.
Photo courtesy of Paul Piazza & Son Inc.
