New Product Being Unveiled at the Delcambre Shrimp Festival

Posted: Aug 15, 2012 7:34 PM by Jenise Fernandez
Updated: Aug 15, 2012 7:46 PM

The Delcambre Shrimp festival is underway and Delcambre Direct Seafood is unveiling a new product called "Vermilion Bay Sweet." It's fresh frozen shrimp, all of it caught locally.

For the first time, Festival goers can buy fresh local shrimp at the Delcambre Shrimp festival. If you talk to any shrimper, they'll have the same story, fresh shrimp is the way to go.

"It's coming out of the water there's no solution or anything," said shrimper Cherie Broussard.

"Vermilion Bay Sweet" is locally caught and hand-peeled. President of the Iberia Business Development Authority, Mike Tarantino says the shrimp will retain the sweet, natural flavor that is often lost in processing. You'll be able to buy "Vermilion Bay Sweet" at a booth at the festival, take it home, and cook it. It's getting rid of the middle-man, which shrimpers say makes all the difference.

"It's premium quality product great sliced hand peeled de-veined," said Tarantino.

Festival goers can also walk across the street and buy the shrimp right off the boats.

"They want to see it come off the boat not just for the experience, but they know they're getting fresh shrimp," said Port Director, Wendell Verret.

Verret says, it's all part of trying to restore the shrimping industry. The shrimping industry has suffered from hurricanes and the BP oil spill. He says it's an opportunity for tourists to see first-hand what makes Delcambre shrimp the best.

"We want to get back to being the shrimp capital of the world," said Verret.

"This is just another piece on how we can all help the Port of Delcambre, a great coastal community, get back on its feet," said Tarantino.