Marinelli Shellfish Co.

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In 1982 Bill Marinelli had a vision to provide the world’s finest, sustainable farmed shellfish to the people of the Bay Area. Soon after Marinelli Shellfish Co. was launched with the goal of developing markets and sales for farmed Pacific oysters to Bay Area restaurants. Business took off and as more restaurants became interested in new seafood products, Marinelli Shellfish’s product line quickly grew to include a variety of high-quality shellfish and finfish products. 

With two distribution centers in California and one in Seattle, Marinelli Shellfish Co. has an extensive product offering and they carry virtually everything available from the Pacific Northwest: oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, halibut, wild salmon, black cod, and Dungeness crab, to name a few. Over time the Seattle distribution center realized significant gains in sales to Asia. Today the company’s business relationships in Asia are almost as extensive as they are in the United States, and every bit as important. 

Known as the “Oyster King," Bill Marinelli has brought many now famous names to the market place, including the Kumamoto, Hog Island, Olympia, Hama Hama, Barron Point, and Westcott Flat. Bill treats oysters with the same attention and respect given to wines and is able to wax poetic on the differences and flavors of any oyster. He has also been instrumental in the development of many other products over the years, including farm raised mussels, pink scallops, Hawaiian limu, Alaskan sea scallops, native littleneck clams, and manila clams.

Much has changed since 1982, Marinelli Shellfish is now one of the largest distributors of half shell oysters in the world and is renowned for the variety they carry. Despite all its changes, one thing remains constant, the team at Marinelli Shellfish continues to improve the quality and service their customers have come to expect, and to play an active role in helping them plan for the future.