WILLAPA BAY — When Taylor Shellfish Farms purchased Ekone Oyster Company in February, it sent shockwaves through the Willapa Bay shellfish industry. While the Ekone staff and brand will remain in place, some wonder if consolidation of small-producers could be a continuing trend.
“There’s definitely been some consolidation over the years,” Taylor Shellfish Farms director of public affairs Bill Dewey said. “In 2007, we acquired Fanny Bay Oysters in British Columbia and basically did the same thing up there.”
Taylor is already Washington state’s largest shellfish company, and had extensive operations on Willapa Bay before the Ekone purchase.
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