H.M. Terry Co., Inc.

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Since the company’s founding in 1903 by Henry Miller Terry Sr., H.M. Terry Co has been committed to producing and delivering the finest quality shellfish. Four generations and over 109 years later, the Terry family remains true to that commitment which made the original Sewansecott™ brand oysters and clams so popular: great, salty taste, supreme quality, and freshness guaranteed!

As a family owned company, the focus of H.M. Terry Co is providing a quality, sustainable product. Their success in this goal begins with the fact that they are not only “family owned,” but “family run and operated.” In order to ensure a premier quality product, they are entirely hands on from start to finish in producing and delivering their Sewansecott™ oysters and clams. Their team—from the newest crew member all the way up to the CEO and President of the company—run boats daily in the pristine waters of Hog Island Bay, VA in order to bring the highest quality shellfish to market. In this way, the company remains completely connected to the well-being of their shellfish stock, and never lose sight of what’s truly important to customers—the quality of their product in the field.

Another key reason for their superior quality oysters and clams is the closed-loop production cycle they employ. Choosing from the best possible brood stock, H.M. Terry Co spawns its own clams and oysters. They then care for these seed oysters and clams in a nursery setting, and when the seed reach an appropriate size, they plant it in Hog Island Bay where it grows to market size in the seaside waters of the Eastern Shore of Virginia. After reaching market size, they bring their oysters and clams in from the bay, sort and count them to order, and put them directly on the trucks that deliver fresh shellfish daily to restaurants, markets, and the end consumer. By remaining directly involved in every single step of the process, H.M. Terry Co ensures that only the freshest, highest quality shellfish leaves their facility and that their customers get their product from hatchery to table with no middle man in between.