HATTERAS, N.C. — Jeffrey's Seafood, which has been a staple in the Outer Banks for decades, now has a new state-of-the-art facility to continue doing what they do best.
Representatives of the business hope the new facility brings new opportunities for local seafood in the Outer Banks and beyond.
“Dad's always had the dream to do this," said Kelsey Aiken, the manager of Jeffrey's Seafood.
Kelsey Aiken’s dad, Jeff, founded Jeffrey’s Seafood decades ago. It's always been a family business.
“My dad, Jeff, started selling fish in the early '80s and was hauling fish from down here up to Hampton, Virginia," said Kelsey Aiken.
A boom in demand for local seafood during COVID-19, grant money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a lot of hard work turned into the opening of a brand-new facility for processing and packing seafood.
"It's been a long process — about four years — getting in here, but it's everything we thought it would be," said Kelsey Aiken.
"Now, he's (Kelsey Aiken) cutting fish and processing fish for restaurants, seafood markets and farmers markets in a nice, temperature-controlled room with two more coolers and a huge blast freezer and another ice room. So lots of the space that we need with room to continue to grow," said Kelsey's wife Kelly Aiken. Kelly is the retail manager for Hatteras Seafoods, the new market side of Jeffrey's Seafood.
The Aikens say they hope to start fulfilling online orders through Hatteras Seafoods by winter.
The orders would bring Outer Banks seafood to anyone that wants it — a welcome change that Kelsey and Kelly feel will be vital to local seafood operations.
"That's always been the dream: Have the fish here, cut it; have the prettiest fish, the highest quality fish. We sell to the other seafood markets here on the island as well. So when people go to their markets to get the fish, they're essentially getting it from us as well. We're working together with them and helping the local economy," said Kelsey Aiken.
“I think it's important for consumers too. People want to know where their seafood is coming from, and that it's domestic and it's from the waters in North Carolina," said Kelly Aiken.
Both feel it’s also going to go a long way for the current and next generation of commercial fishermen.
“We're trying to add value to somewhat undervalued species that are caught here, and most of the time just shipped out of here. In turn, our goal is to hopefully bring it back down the line and be able to pay our fishermen better. Give people incentive to go catch fish and for young kids to get into the industry. Keep people interested in fishing here and and not letting the regulations and everything stop us from doing what we love," said Kelsey Aiken.
Jeffrey's Seafood's new facility is located at 57162 Altona Lane, tucked back in Hatteras Village. Jeffrey's will continue to maintain their processing center in Hatteras Harbor for charter and recreational fishermen. For more information on Jeffrey's Seafood, you can head to their Facebook here.
