Taylor Shellfish Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Seafood |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Edwin Taylor, Justin Taylor |
| Headquarters | Shelton, Washington , United States |
Area served | Western Washington |
Key people | Justin Taylor (noted oyster farmer, deceased 2011) |
| Products | Farmed shellfish (oysters, clams) |
Number of employees | 480 (2010) |
Taylor Shellfish Company is a U.S.-based seafood enterprise headquartered in Shelton, Washington, recognized as the nation's leading farmed shellfish producer with operations spanning Western Washington. Established in 1969 under the name Taylor United by brothers Edwin and Justin Taylor, the company’s lineage extends to their grandfather, James Y. Waldrip, who founded the Olympia Oyster Company in the 1890s. The business’s origins lie in oyster cultivation within South Puget Sound dating back to the 1920s. Justin Taylor (born 1921), a prominent figure in the company, was one of the region’s longest-standing oyster farmers until his passing in 2011.
During the 2010s, Taylor Shellfish was responsible for harvesting more than of clams each year. In 2005, oysters sold in-shell represented 30% of the company’s total sales volume. The firm manages oyster farms at its Oakland Bay base and across various sites in Hood Canal and Puget Sound, including Totten Inlet, Oyster Bay, Eld Inlet, Samish Bay, Willapa Bay, and Whidbey Island. By 2010, Taylor Shellfish employed approximately 480 staff members and achieved annual revenues exceeding $50 million.
Beginning in 2014, Taylor Shellfish diversified into retail by launching oyster bars branded as Taylor Shellfish Farms. These establishments include three locations in Seattle—such as Capitol Hill and Pioneer Square—and an additional site opened in Downtown Bellevue toward the end of 2017. Furthermore, the company operates farm retail outlets on Chuckanut Drive in Skagit County as well as in Shelton.