Meet the Producers -
The Manx Lobster

For any newcomers, who are you and what do you do?

We are The Manx Lobster - a small, independent seafood business based in Port St Mary. Everything we sell has been caught, sourced, cooked or smoked solely by Michael on our small, commercial fishing boat Vervain.

When did you establish your business?

The business began in 2020, as we realised there was a gap in the market to offer completely fresh seafood, which has never been frozen.

What inspired you to begin?

Michael has always been obsessed with fishing from a toddler, so when the opportunity arose to buy his own boat and acquire a small factory, we jumped at the chance to offer completely fresh seafood to the island.

How has your business grown since then?

This business is constantly growing year on year which is excellent, but we just wish the weather would improve sometimes too!

Where are you based and what does that community mean to you?

We are solely based in Post St Mary. Our boat is berthed in the inner harbour and our small factory is located on the main harbour. Michael was raised in the village and we have a very strong relationship with friends, customers and other businesses in the Village. We are proud to be part of the community, and are always looking into ways to boost visitors to the village.

What does the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival mean to you?

We absolutely love the Food & Drink Festival and attend every year as customers, so it’s always been an aim to exhibit there as a producer. It is an excellent way for islanders to see different local products and produce that they may not have heard of or come across yet.

Which other local producer(s) are you most looking forward to seeing this year?

We have a number of producers who we follow but we haven’t seen Wham Bam Lamb as yet so looking forward to seeing what they have available.

What’s on the horizon for your business?

We are aiming to have a more diverse range of fish going forward, and we are always looking into different products we can make.

What is your signature dish/product?

Our signature product has to be our Oak Smoked Manx Callig (Pollock) which we catch and then smoke in-house ourselves. We are the only people to do this on island and it is definitely one of our best sellers.