CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - Canada’s Food Island and the Prince Edward Island mussels and oyster industries are launching a digital destination designed to educate, inspire and create a community around oysters and mussels from Prince Edward Island: The Social Shell. 

The Social Shell empowers consumers to enjoy oysters and mussels more often with simple tips for shopping, storing and cleaning, as well as oyster shucking tutorials, recommended tools and techniques for easy-at-home preparation and a variety of delicious recipes. The Social Shell will also showcase chefs and industry experts who will be debunking common misinformation around oysters and mussels, while sharing fun facts, interesting insights and their favorite cooking tips and recipes.  

“We are excited to work with the mussel and oyster industry to launch The Social Shell as an online platform that celebrates Prince Edward Island mussels and oysters,” said Bryan Inglis, chief executive officer of the Food Island Partnership. “We hope The Social Shell inspires people to eat more Prince Edward Island mussels and oysters, whether at home or at their favorite restaurant.” 

In addition to culinary inspiration, The Social Shell showcases the rich ecosystem of Prince Edward Island, highlighting the environmental impact of the industry and demonstrating why oysters and mussels are a great sustainable food choice. 

Consumers will be able to easily locate their nearest Prince Edward Island retailer or restaurant on the Where to Buy section of the website. Visitors to The Social Shell are encouraged to register to join the community for member benefits including access to exclusive content, virtual events, curated tools and merchandise, product discounts, prizes, a members-only Facebook group and more.  

A few facts consumers might find on The Social Shell about Prince Edward Island oysters and mussels include: 

  • Prince Edward Island accounts for 80% of mussels and 26% of oysters from Canada 

  • 1lb of mussels cooks in just 5 minutes 

  • Oysters and mussels with open shells shouldn’t be discarded - just tap on the shells and if they close, they’re still good 

  • Mussels and oysters are mother nature’s water filters - adult mussels filter up to 15 gallons of water per day and adult oysters filter up to 50 gallons of water per day