Today, Lowcountry Lobster markets over 300 types of fish, including fresh, frozen, smoked and processed varieties. According to Tortorici, the dwindling supply of local fish together with increased demand stemming from the growth of tourism and restaurants has caused Lowcountry Lobster and other distributors to turn increasingly to imported product. Improvements in refrigeration techniques in South America, as well a new willingness by commercial airlines to handle fresh fish, opened up an entire new market. In the early days, fish quality down there was spotty, but has improved greatly in the last 10 years. Much of the fish we import is fresher and higher quality than local catches, he emphasizes.
Seafood purchasing on the open market is much like commodity trading.
Prices and availability can vary widely from day to day, even hour to hour. To get the best prices, he maintains a close network of primary distributors and fishermen in Miami, along the Gulf of Mexico and New England. By talking early every morning with his contacts, Tortorici determines the fishing conditions and estimated catch in each area and projects the future market price for each product before placing an order. Our relationships with vendors are critical. There are no contracts, just our word and integrity backing each sale, Tortorici says.