Lobster Supplier: Clawed and Spiny Lobster, Live and Frozen, to Order

Product overview

Lobster covers two quite different groups, and the first thing a brief should settle is which one is wanted. Clawed lobsters, the American (Homarus americanus) and the European (Homarus gammarus), carry meat in large claws as well as the tail and are the classic choice for steamed, grilled and thermidor dishes. Spiny or rock lobsters have no large claws, so nearly all of their value sits in the tail. The two groups come from different oceans, fisheries and seasons, which is why, like the rest of our premium range sourced on request, lobster is sourced for each order rather than stocked.

American lobster comes from Atlantic Canada and the north-eastern United States, where fishing areas open in turn through the year, and it reaches most international markets live by air or frozen. European lobster, landed in smaller volumes around Britain, Ireland, Norway and France, is a premium item with a dark blue shell before cooking. Spiny lobsters include Panulirus species from the Caribbean, Western Australia and the Indo-Pacific, along with southern rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) from southern Australia and New Zealand. Many of these fisheries close for part of the year to protect spawning stock, and each offer states the species, fishing area and season.

Formats include live lobster; whole lobster cooked in brine and frozen; whole raw frozen, often produced by high-pressure processing that loosens the meat from the shell; raw frozen tails, the main trade form for spiny lobster; split lobster; and claw, knuckle and tail meat. Live and whole lobster are graded by individual weight, in grams or pounds, while tails are graded by weight band, for example 4⁠–⁠5 oz, 6⁠–⁠8 oz or 10⁠–⁠12 oz. For American lobster, the offer also notes shell condition, because soft-shell animals that have recently molted carry less meat and travel less well than hard-shell stock.

Live lobster travels out of water with its claws banded, packed in insulated boxes with damp packing and gel ice, and needs a short, direct route plus cold holding or a seawater tank on arrival. We check the routing, the destination’s live-import conditions and your holding arrangements before quoting, then agree a mortality allowance in writing. Where live supply is impractical, cooked or raw frozen whole lobster keeps the presentation. For a smaller crustacean on the same menu, compare langoustine, and our export specialists can review live routes into your airport.