How the Largest Lobster Company in Maine Processes Over 600,000 Pounds per Week - Vendors

Off the coast of Maine, two brothers run Ready Seafood, a company that specializes in catching some of the best lobster in the country. On an average week, they produce up to 600,000 pounds of lobster, using every part of the crustacean.
For more food and restaurant news, sign up for our newsletters: trib.al/wqZ0q3s
Credits:
Producer: Carla Francescutti
Directors: Carla Francescutti, Connor Reid
Camera: Carla Francescutti, Connor Reid
Production Coordinator: Nick Mazzocchi
Editor: Lucy Morales Carlisle
Executive Producer: Stephen Pelletteri
Supervising Producer, Operations: Stefania Orrù
Supervising Producer, Development: Gabriella Lewis
Audience Engagement: Avery Dalal
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more episodes of 'Vendors', click here: trib.al/hrukKJn
Eater is the go-to resource for food and restaurant obsessives with hundreds of episodes and new series, featuring exclusive access to dining around the world, rich culture, immersive experiences, and authoritative experts. Binge it, watch it, crave it.
Subscribe to our KZbin Channel now! goo.gl/hGwtF0

[@af9493]

Eater could not have found a better spokesperson for this industry. Curt seems like a standup guy promoting the hard work he and his colleagues put in in harvesting lobster. I appreciate the way that their industry is trying to use the entire lobster when processing. I'm curious to know what they will be doing with those shells once the meat is extracted.

[@daviddyer8807]

I can tell you one thing they do is make mulch. At the garden stores here you can buy mulch with composted lobster shells.

[@TrashManJake]

Compost

[@austinhall3981]

Hopefully, like a stock would be perfect

[@rosegeaber7533]

@@austinhall3981Right?! Lobster Bisque!

[@truthhurts3524]

Compost/fertilizer, may even go to a Maine soil company, Coast of Maine soil.

[@Marmamartha]

I love how these guys have simple ways to preserve lobsters, and extract every last bit of the ones they caught. Thumbs up!

[@ItzBwo]

I was lucky enough to spend a good deal of time with lobstermen that produce in mid-coast maine while doing an internship at the Samoset and I have such a deep respect for their industry. Like this guy said it’s such a generational industry and you can tell it’s a complete lifestyle.

[@JBacon1698]

@ObamaFromKenya Yes

[@JeffStone0]

Any "slaughterhouse" that shows you every step in the process is Top Notch

[@hendrickziegler8487]

Yes... just not sure that the "stunner" does really kill them. The name implies otherwise

[@Mutiny960]

@@hendrickziegler8487 It does the best they can for such a large operation. Nothing is 100% I'm sure some come out kicking and screaming, but the fact they put the effort and $$$$$$ investment in that huge machine counts for alot. They really didn't have to, could have just put them all inside the boiler alive.

[@FacitOmniaVoluntas.]

@@hendrickziegler8487Disregard the name. The stunner that’s used on cows, shoots a metal bar in the brain stem and instantly kills. The stunner here hits the lobsters with enough power to kill a human instantly, nevermind a lobster.

[@colin8696908]

Well people don't really relate to lobsters.

[@lucaskp16]

@@hendrickziegler8487 they will still be boil alive by most cooks and home cooks. because food safety they spoil real fast.

[@jeremybrooks9527]

He forgot to give the eggers a snack 😢😢

[@UncleWarden]

wrong channel brodie 🤣

[@timslager5966]

Throws lobster overboard... Lobster: " Hey, where's my snack!"

[@skizztrizz4453]

I was thinking the same thing.🤣

[@WilliamHollinger2019]

I agree

[@ItsJustRyansChannel]

Not the same guy.

[@HouseholdFirearm]

Love lobster, great to see the industry and how much hard work gets put in for our own enjoyment. Much respect to all the guys out on boats in Maine!

[@lab35982]

A big shout out and thank you to the team line members who work so fast and hard processing the meat for the shells. You don't get enough credit for the hard work you do!

[@joshuastefanick4806]

Immigration police would love that place

[@marklupus]

The mentality of these fishermen when it comes to the sustainability of the fishery is what impresses me the most. Being a good fisherman AND a good nurturer is so important to such a fragile ecosystem.

[@codyschnuriger6743]

That used to be called ‘conservationism’.

[@samuelhakansson6680]

The whole industry suffers from overfishing. There is nothing sustainable about this, and they are idiots.

[@ElSuperNova23]

I did some work in a chemistry research lab during my PhD trying to transform chitosan as a feedstock into other key chemicals , good to see a producer so enthusiastic on that angle!

[@goodluck2522]

Money baby

[@usamaepekonis]

The fact that lobster piss on each other to piss each other off proves that they are truly pissant

[@guido_aka_guy]

They make the other male lobster piss off actively.😂

[@philiq18]

Fantastic feature. Great seeing the behind the scenes of a lobster company. The workers moving at lightspeed breaking claws and pulling out the meat almost looked spedup at first. Very impressive... their level of expertise is unreal.

[@chirag9899]

He didn't give them snacks 😢

[@bruce8321]

These are good honest hardworking folks in the lobster business in Maine, N.S. and N.B.

[@burningmanmike]

I feel the passion this man has for his products.

[@turbolevo8703]

They’re not his products.

[@-ProblemChild]

@@turbolevo8703They are once they're on his boat

[@chrisbond6823]

If more people would watch these videos they would appreciate seafood so much more. I harvest different varieties for personal, The guys that do this for a living deserve utmost respect.

[@JPdexx]

For anyone watching this video that gets a chance to visit Maine. Eventide has legitimately the best Lobster roll in Maine. It isn't the traditional lobster and mayo on a hotdog bun, it's a whole new take on what a lobster roll can and should be, and as a born and raised Mainer it's the only place I've ever spent $20 on 3 bites of lobster and would absolutely order it again.

[@lornes7526]

Not going to lie, I spent 48$ for a haircut yesterday, just a straight up 5 & 3 cut with a electric shaver. There was 10x more effort in catching, cooking, and prepping your 20$ lobster roll than went into cutting my hair. I believe I spent 2x what you did, but got 1/2 the value. Crazy.

[@truthhurts3524]

Love seeing my fellow Mainers showing the world what we do up here. Have had the pleasure of enjoying some of their fresh/raw lobster meat, incredible product. Keep up the hard work ladies and gentlemen!

[@jonathanmartin172]

Worked in most of the places in this video. Happy to see support for Maine's working waterfronts! Also a bonus to see equipment that we worked/installed featured!

[@ludgatecircus15]

WOW. The fisherman is exceptional. He clearly is passionate and knowledgeable. I want him speaking for my company and my industry if needed. I love lobster thermador and enjoy watching there types of videos. This is one of the best.

[@molaub]

Quality, tradition, quality control, hard work of generation, bio- sustainability, and love for their craft! Respect!

[@samuelhakansson6680]

The whole industry suffers from overfishing. There is nothing sustainable about this, and they are idiots.

[@corgeousgeorge]

This dude really teaches about Lobster and the industry and the rules etc. in such an accessible way. He could teach a class. I wonder if Maine universities have aquaculture courses, I'd imagine they do, he is prob an instructor there lol.

[@OsKBLaZe]

Lobster is the *maine* source of income.

[@CyberDocUSA]

Catchy! Tourism is likely #1 but I'm sure fishing and timber is a close second.

[@Jon-g2d5k]

Fishing is way down on the list and as a percentage of manufacturing that is timber and milling is actually low, with manufacturing being like the 5th largest source of revenues. These are actually dying heritage industries and far too much time has been spent trying to prop them up here in Maine versus building a modern workforce and modern industry that can move us forward through the 21st century. We also have massive brain-drain. All of our educated youth leave Maine and folks don't come back for 20-30 years. Maine is the 12th most DC-dollar dependent state.

[@CyberDocUSA]

@@Jon-g2d5k yup, great points all. I lived there for 20+ years and saw exactly what happened in drinking villages with fishing problems - they started taking pharmaceuticals. Sad. I sure do miss Maine and my friends (natives) who still reside there but couldn't see myself surviving much longer in that dismal economic climate. Modernization is key, as you said, and ME is 20 years behind the nation (which is ironic since that's part of its charm and allure to PFA's). For those not in the know, a P.F.A. = Person/people From Away. ;-) Flatlanders.

[@jeepstuff4004]

Sadly most go to China

[@white_genocide2050]

Will they go extinc we are eating all of them

[@Robert-zr3xw]

This video is like a love letter to an industry most of us take for granted. I'll be thinking about this the next time I'm cracking open a lobster claw (one every couple years - $$$ you know)

[@phyllisg6217]

Love your work and your knowledge! Thanks for sharing it with us. I have a new found respect for the lobster and the people who work hard to provide us with this delicacy!

[@meleahsanchez8879]

This is so awesome, Ready Seafood drops off to my company to ship out worldwide, glad to see them getting recognition.

[@BenjimanBenjiman-df3fs]

Saying hello from Chicago Illinois USA 💯

[@DZ-rl8ut]

Really enjoyed this video, very educational. Best part was seeing how they are humanely harvested, and the husbandry involved.

[@Phantom0507]

love how pretty much his entire business is from what i see waste free, literally just about everything in the lobster is used. i hope the batteries made with chitin end up being successful, such a cool discovery

[@agpc0529]

Wow those workers are amazing. cannot believe how fast they break down those lobsters.

[@adyg5402]

WOW,what a video.The amount of information is fantastic.I thought they just caught Lobster,but there is so much more to this industry. The sizing,the notching,the difference between male and female lobsters.This video should be shown in schools.

[@teapotdome]

as a chef in massachusetts that sells 5k lbs of live lobsters and another 5k lbs of frozen lobster meat a year it is very cool to see all this. thank you.

[@skywatcherca]

This gentleman and his TEAM, are extreme PROFESSIONALS - wonderful! This is AMERICA at it's best - thank you for this open and informative video.

[@EddLovette]

Great video! Really impressed by the sustainability approach and the efficiency of the processing line.

[@samuelhakansson6680]

The whole industry suffers from overfishing. There is nothing sustainable about this, and they are idiots.

[@Peter-zg3em]

maine is maybe the greatest state we've got left. it's a treasure and it flies way over some people's heads and that's fine with the rest of us. truly a magical part of the world and i'm blessed to be able to visit and support the local businesses.

[@vladimirputinforUSA]

Maine is great except in the middle of January, all the way to the end of April. The top half of the state get canada temps

[@willcookmakeup]

I'm from CT and will confirm there is nothing like Maine lobster. We'd drive up in the summers just for the lobster. In CT we have great seafood but nothing compares to Maine on the east coast

[@willcookmakeup]

Also holy cow, the shelling workers are SO fast wow

[@stephensmith1307]

It's the same exact species in CT as it is in Me. There's literally no difference in reality

[@wallyballou7417]

Not true. The water off the coast of Maine is colder, which produces a tastier lobster.@@stephensmith1307

[@jacktorrance2633]

​@@stephensmith1307LITERALLY?

[@vicjr.1813]

Thank You Eater for this video, as a small business owner, the last line he said at the end of the video is a quiet reminder to me to always be thankful I have my own business and to always put passion into what I do.

[@timb350]

Veeeery impressive. The degree of organization, planning, processing, etc. that goes into this is just amazing! Congratulations on doing a damn good job! Just to add...THIS...is what America is about! Excellence. Capable, decent, responsible, intelligent, people doing work that they care about to the best of their abilities.

[@48162342]

I couldn't even blink for the entirety of the video because I was so fascinated!

[@bocabec6744]

I'm always impressed to see live lobsters for sale at Publix in South Florida. The logistics of this operation is amazing to this old Mainer.

[@bluefish537]

10:48 they are blazing fast with that processing

[@jtsparky876]

That lobstermen did a great job . Informative and entertaining. I would’ve thought he was a tv host for his day job . He did well

[@froknowsphoto]

love these videos

[@hugespicyhuge]

BOT, also they are as easy to catch as crayfish. So how do they get away with charging an arm and leg for them? Greedy behavior.

[@samuelstoner5651]

This was an excellent advertisement for Ready Seafood, and for the Maine lobster industry in general. I was impressed.

[@jamess9808]

Lobster powered cell phones

[@tamto6328]

Hard to watch this without thinking of Leon The Lobster 😃

[@RighteousReverendDynamite]

That is a lot of ingenuity to make a processing plant like that. Also a lot of elbow grease with the workers who have to work with sharp tools and a cold environment. Then the knowhow of nautical and sea conditions and of conservation regulations to make each voyage safe and productive. It makes me more appreciative of all the hard work when I have the rare opportunity to have a lobster for dinner.

[@NatorDM]

Always can count on Eater to want to eat something after watching or while watching their videos at 2:08 AM... currently resisting the urge now lol. Great video as per usual really interesting stuff!

[@christinamichael4302]

Eater could not have found a better spokesperson for this industry. Curt seems like a standup guy promoting the hard work he and his colleagues put in in harvesting lobster

[@UADestinations]

Great video. I've been trying out lobster rolls all over and I swear there is just something so special about those in made in Maine. They are next level!

[@SproutGardenusa]

I was so impressed with this video! Keep up the great work.

[@antoinedoinell]

it's crazy how much we consume

[@v.h.2727]

Absolutely stunnig how well this creature is being utilized resluting in 0,0% waste! This is how to honor God‘s creations! Greetings to this sustainable way of harvesting from Germany!

[@samuelhakansson6680]

The whole industry suffers from overfishing. There is nothing sustainable about this, and they are idiots.

[@jandoinc]

Great video! I do recreational lobster harvesting and I have tremendous respect for the industry. Thanks for sharing.

[@Duneuniverse]

Love this video, saving money, making money, being respectful and responsible to the community and the lobsters are beautiful

[@vincentstouter449]

It’s ironic that when the eastern seaboard was colonized, lobsters were considered to be trash fish while cod were the desired seafood. Many standard indentured servant contracts specified that lobster couldn’t be served more than twice per week 🤣. My how times have changed. Like many things in life it’s not the physical thing as much as the psychological interpretation we place on the event. 😎

[@jimurrata6785]

Lobster was considered hog food. Prisoners revolted over having to eat too often.

[@vincentstouter449]

@@jimurrata6785 Jim,That’s an interesting observation. I once went to a smorgasbord with an African missionary visiting Hampton Roads (AKA Tidewater Virginia). He was taken aback by Corn on the Cobb on the buffet. When I inquired, he informed me that in his country, corn 🌽 was strictly silage for hogs, which he would never consume 🤣.

[@jimurrata6785]

@@vincentstouter449 From our colonial past to their colonial past..

[@Chungus581]

Another aspect is that those prisoners and other people eating lobster weren’t eating lobster tail and butter. They’d just grind everything up into a mash which would indeed be rather unappealing

[@tz1592]

WOW!! So impressive to see what happens behind the scenes! Great video. Thank you for making this.

[@Astr0b0y8]

Those rolls look so good! Glad sustainability is top of mind. Be interesting to see where the shell waste will go one day

[@samuelhakansson6680]

The whole industry suffers from overfishing. There is nothing sustainable about this, and they are idiots.

[@Hemidakota]

Just amazing how even the shell is used and not wasted.

[@ss4yaasir524]

The attention to detail from start to finish is incredible!

[@mike9347]

I'm wondering if you also supply live Lobsters. If so, would have been great to see that side of things as well.

[@louiearmstrong]

Yeah I always wonder how grocery stores and restaurants 2000 miles from an ocean can have live lobster tanks

[@muratti72muc]

@@louiearmstrong they sent it with planes in polystyrene boxes with icepacks. In this cold environment the lobster can life up to 48 hours without water because his metabolism gets slower. It like a winter sleep for the lobster. When he arrived at the big fish dealer he will put them back in cold salt water tanks until he sells it.

[@stacygerlich5807]

Amazing. What an education. You clearly love what you do and your passion is palpable. Thank you for this!!!

[@modular182]

Leon's relatives. 😞

[@philipwurm5121]

I’m a fish monger in Jersey and we get your Lobster tails all the time and sell a lot of em! Good Stuff!!!

[@bulletcrisis]

He didn't give the female a snack before releasing. Unlike the other Maine lobster guy

[@bpd231martinko9]

Outstanding young man, I think we found something you do well!

[@HFC786]

Lobster pizza at Artichoke Pizza NYC is a must!

[@rickgarland8543]

Awesome job Kurt look forward to seeing you out on the water next summer!

[@thedeeprot]

very interesting nice one Eater!

[@TheChefmike66]

Agreed, I have never disliked a single episode that this channel has put out. I've really loved most of them, including this one.

[@burkelong4376]

I'll never take lobster for granted again.

[@hondomclean6759]

All those lobster shells make the best lobster bisque. You'd be sitting on a gold mine if lobster bisque could be sold by you guys.

[@lovejones72]

I live in Scarborough, right next to Saco. Ready Seafood is a great local employer owned by great guys.

[@CyberDocUSA]

*Fun Fact:* The State of Maine used to feed the prisoners at Thomaston State Prison (now located in neighboring Warren) so much lobster that they grew tired of eating it and revolted. Lol. Can you imagine? Now it's an expensive delicacy. Oh, and don't go to Red's Eats in Wiscasset - way too expensive (comparatively) and not what they're cracked up to be.

[@HeronPoint2021]

Newfoundland prisons had riots over too much lobster, too!

[@giantlabs]

I can assure you those prisoners being fed lobsters were not of quality nor cooked in a palatable way.

[@CyberDocUSA]

@@giantlabs , all you have to do is boil them. Lol. I've never eaten a _poor quality_ lobster in all my years living in Maine.

[@daveklein2826]

Reds Eats is awesome

[@CyberDocUSA]

@@daveklein2826let me guess, you're a local? 🙂 Mark Antony Buscanera had the best lobster rolls in mid=coast Maine, in my humble opinion. Red's started mixing in frozen lobster meat from Canada.

[@rd9102]

Outstanding video. I enjoyed watching this and getting a feel for this industry. Nicely done.

[@irvo44]

remember kids, theres no such thing as sustainable commercial fishing, no matter what horseshit they feed you.

[@daveklein2826]

LIAR

[@TheREALLibertyOrDeath]

🤡

[@anthonyduffy5967]

Great video! I love to see the pride that goes into the process.

[@BlckJack123]

While he might be harvesting lobster in a sustainable way, unfortunately many countries, lead by China, are harvesting many types of marine life in an unsustainable way.

[@kimharris9226]

I love these videos, gives u a great informative education on things u otherwise wldnt have a clue about, thnku heaps

[@mottyk8491]

45lb of lobster for one days catch .... he lost money that day

[@TheREALLibertyOrDeath]

Dub

[@Amsar93703]

Eventide is FAR AND AWAY the BEST lobster rolls I’ve ever had in my life!

[@jamesd6639]

First and lovin it

[@RRaucina]

"Chitosan is used within some wound dressings to decrease bleeding.[50] Upon contact with blood, the bandage becomes sticky, effectively sealing the laceration.[51] Chitosan hydrogel-based wound dressings have also been found useful as burn dressings, and for the treatment of chronic diabetic wounds and hydrofluoric acid burns.[4][50] Chitosan-containing wound dressings received approval for medical use in the United States in 2003

[@corgeousgeorge]

Finally, part of the animal kingdom that actually does have pissing contests to assert dominance! Thank you so much for this info!

[@IamNotTheAnswer]

It's awesome to see people in their element doing what they love

[@sopamarucha2388]

What about over fishing???

[@Gentile108]

Lobster is yummy!! But blue crab is on another level of flavor! Anyone?

[@jacobmeadows1064]

Not the dubstep Tetris theme at the end lol

[@larrymoskowitz7309]

Very cool to see the wholesale side of lobstering!

[@twistedtea7133]

I like how fishing is soo regulated in the US....unlike other countries over fishing

[@donovanschoor1473]

Wow this is such a great process from start to finish. Giving the appropriate care to the animal to be humane. Awesome to see.

[@lamerariataaaaa]

I thought the lobster was having a seizure 😂

[@marvinkcat]

Its great the steps they have in place to maintain the fishery

[@tommiller9743]

What a remarkable business and business spokesman!

[@monadking2761]

I love how you showed how the lobsters and the meat are processed. The question I have is, do the colors of the rubber bands mean anything?

[@The_DuMont_Network]

"Maine Wedding Band!" - I like that!

[@paulie2tanks]

Absolutely fascinating! I love the rowe and tamali

[@FurryEskimo]

As I recall, the government has been considering a ban on lobster fishing, because despite their seemingly infinite quantity, we’ve managed to overfish Maine’s oceans, and the seas need time to recover.

[@Acemechanicalservices]

You have no idea what you’re talking about. The government is going after fishermen because they can’t stand the idea of people being free and independent. They want you to live in a pod and eat ze bugs (which is ironic because lobsters are bugs). There are likely more lobsters than there would be if they weren’t fished for.

[@davidpage3893]

The government always looks for ways to restrict any business that is successful. The claim is lobsters are over harvested. All of the lobster harvesters are hard working and go above and beyond to protect the lobsters…especially the females by notching the tail and throwing it back. They throw back the ones that are too small to be legally harvested. They don’t need constant regulations and restrictions. They are required to have rope lines that will not entangle whales. That’s an added expense not necessary because I lived here in Maine all my life and never heard of any reports of any whale getting caught in the trap lines. It’s never happened yet.

[@samuelhakansson6680]

Yeah, this video is idiotic for that reason alone. They got a serious issue at hand, and instead they put out a video of thenselves bragging about how many lobsters they process a year. Idiots in its pure form here.

[@Sureyoudo]

Keep it up and lobsters will be the next snow crab!

[@stainless0521]

beautifully done video...

[@Peter-zg3em]

they even let the sales manager out for a rip. good company.

[@psymi-hk1fp]

outstanding operation and legacy