For over 10 years, Homarus has supplied NYCs most prestigious kitchens with the highest quality of live lobsters shipped directly from coastal Maine. The key to their success is the sole focus on lobster wholesale. Whereas their competitors sell a variety of seafood, Homarus employs equipment and personnel specifically dedicated to maintaining and monitoring live lobster, extending and ensuring the quality of every catch.

To further grow their business, they plan to provide cooked, ready-to- serve lobster meat, as well as other value-added items. But what market potential do they have and how will they attract new customers?

Why Sell Cooked Lobster?

Lobster is an expensive luxury item, a modern delicacy that adds an air of extravagance to any dining table, but its perceived value does not always match its hefty price. Considering the amount of time, equipment and space required to properly store, cook and shell lobsters, it can send operational budgets soaring. That is where Homarus can alleviate some of the unnecessary costs.

With state-of-the-art steamers and chillers, Homarus can reliably cook large batches of lobster to the exact flavor and consistency their customers desire and expect. By providing vacuum-sealed, dated, fresh lobster meat, they help chefs keep their tight margins at bay, and free up employees to focus on other tasks.

Not only is large scale cooking beneficial to their customers, Homarus is able to allay hidden costs of their own. Even with all of their precautions in place, there is a significant mortality rate for stored lobsters, about 10% of every shipment. Keeping a clear, discerning eye on product each day, they can pick potential losses out of the tank, send them to the steamer, and turn them into direct profit. Also during the summer months, when there is a surfeit of smaller lobsters, they can be cooked and flash frozen, a cache reserve for the leaner months of the year.

With the addition of a brand new kitchen facility for processing live lobster, doors open to a host of other “added value” lobster items; a line of sauces, stocks and garnishes that add depth and flavor to any recipe. Also worth noting is the potential to branch out into other crustaceans and cephalopods available from Maine.

Homarus’ current clients are a quick and tangible source of revenue to launch and establish these new “added value” items.

Retail

Recently, Homarus introduced live lobster sales via Fresh Direct, NYCs largest online fresh food retailer. Fresh Direct’s wide retail base is an excellent source to gain name recognition, and to pull Homarus from the back of the house into the forefront. To grab interest in this new audience, Homarus is focused on creating a flagship product to whet appetites and secure repeat customers; a premier lobster roll kit.

What makes a good lobster roll?

First we have to address the issue between classic Maine (cold) or Connecticut style (hot) lobster rolls. Though there are many proponents for the latter, the majority of lobster lovers are familiar with the cold refreshing Maine roll. It requires less prep and can be adapted for a variety of flavor profiles. When it comes to ingredients, fresh non-processed lobster meat is essential, which gives Homarus an advantage in the market. Then its mixed with a creamy, savory mayonnaise and a bright splash of lemon to heighten the ocean flavors and finally served up on a soft, substantial split-top roll, preferably buttered and toasted on both sides. Common additions to the recipe include spice mixes, herbs, salts, hot sauces and greens.

Essentials

Accoutrements

How do you ship fresh lobster meat?

Every morning, Homarus delivers lobster to kitchens around New York with a fleet of vans and trucks, but shipping to customers homes creates a slew of logistical problems. Lobster meat should never be below 40ºF during transit, lest bacteria begin to form, so it is paramount to control the temperature and timing of each delivery. Because time is an issue for guaranteed freshness, initial launch of the kit will only be available in the New York area. Common shipping methods utilize a styrofoam box and ice packs slipped into a larger cardboard box. Though there is progress for greener products on the market, styrofoam is the standard in the industry due to its superior insulating qualities and price point. The smaller the box, the thicker the wall, the less air and more insulation provided. Each box contains 8oz of meat, for two rolls. Sandwiched between two small ice packs, it fits snugly in a 6” x 4.5” x 4” interior. With a 1” thick wall, the exterior of the box measures 8” x 6.5” x 6”.

How can you differentiate the product?

All current overnight lobster roll kits arrive in a large plain cardboard box, with a styrofoam cooler, prepped ingredients and reading material inside. The packaging is so lacking, it is an easy launching point to create a more functional and attractive box that emulates the luxury experience within.

Inspiration

Beyond simply housing a styrofoam box and other lobster roll ingredients, the box can be a desirable status item unto itself. It should be a usable tote that creates an impression at the beach, a box worthy of gifting to family and friends. The shape and colors should immediately conjure ideas and emotions we associate with a fresh satisfying Maine lobster roll.

Sketches

Render

Die-cut specs for Homarus box, and option to use as improvised table.