Eyre Peninsula Seafoods Team
Andrew Puglisi and Mark Andrews are formidable pioneers in South Australian mussel farming. Having successfully established their respective mussel brands in the region, they saw an opportunity to join forces, combining their passion and knowledge to form a new powerhouse in mussel farming. In 2016, Eyre Peninsula Seafoods was born.
Their mission was clear – for every South Australian mussel produced to have the perfect condition, flavour and texture from water to plate. Eyre Peninsula Seafoods has quickly risen to the top – and remained there as a global leader in vertically integrated mussel farming and processing.
Andrew Puglisi, Executive Director
Andrew, a fifth-generation fisherman, brought a rich heritage of producing high quality seafoods and his well-loved Kinkawooka mussel brand. Innovation has been at the heart of Andrew’s ability to stay on top of the game. He was determined that anyone should be able to enjoy the fresh taste of a harvested mussel – from anywhere in the country or around the world. This led to the development of innovative vacuum seal packaging that extended the shelf life of live mussels for up to 10 days
“Success in any field doesn’t come down to just one individual. I’m a firm believer in learning from one another and being willing to ask others. Innovation is crucial to staying on top of your game.”
Mark Andrews, CEO
After nearly a decade involved in the mussel farming industry in New Zealand, Mark Andrews started to look for a new opportunity to grow his own mussels. And the first thing he did was search for the best water he could find. The day he visited the pristine, deep and clean waters of Boston Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, he knew he had found the right place. Bringing a wealth of experience in longline mussel farming techniques, Mark quickly established a reputation for producing quality mussels that are clean, healthy and free from bottom dwelling predators.
“You could build the best boats, mussel processing facility, harvesting equipment – but without access to clean water, growing quality mussels is impossible.”
Andy Dyer - Operations Manager
Andy knows a thing or two about mussels. Having worked in mussel farms for over 25 years, he’s well-versed in what it takes to make the perfect mussel. In fact, he and his wife launched the mussel farm industry when they set up a farm in Port Lincoln. Having seen the success of farms in Perth, he found the waters of Boston Bay to be ideal for growing sweet, soft and creamy mussels.
Since joining forces with Eyre Peninsula Seafoods, Andy has gone from strength to strength. Innovation is at the heart of what Andy does. Over the years, he has overseen projects to extend the shelf life of mussels using our SeaSure packaging; and adopting better farming practices to improve the condition and quality of the harvested mussels. He’s a firm believer that if you aren’t moving forward… you will go backwards.
If you asked Andy what is his favourite way to whip up mussels? “There’s nothing better than steamed mussels with cracked pepper and beer. That’s it – simple and super satisfying.”
Gerald Huntley, Skipper
Gerald’s love of the ocean started young. Growing up by the sea on a small island off the South Island of New Zealand, fishing and eating seafood was the only way of life. When the opportunity arose to be a skipper on a mussel farm, he jumped at it and he hasn’t looked back since!
He has enjoyed taking on new challenges with Eyre Peninsula Seafoods and learning new parts of the business. He loves to find the best way to farm the mussels – experimenting with the variations in depth, conditions and locations. The quest for quality and a thirst for knowledge are what drives him forward.
His favourite way to create a masterpiece with mussels? “With a bit of red curry paste simmered in coconut cream and either simmer mussels in the sauce or steam them open then add them to the curry.”