Legally & sustainably cultivated abalone
WEST COAST, SOUTH AFRICA
Premium South African Abalone.
Our company, West Coast Abalone, farms Haliotis Midae abalone on the West Coast in South Africa.
ABOUT US
OUR FAMILY BUSINESS
West Coast Abalone was started by Jens Heimberg, Karen Whyte and Dennis Whyte in 1998. We cultivate Haliotis Midae abalone in a natural and sustainable manner, using the pure fresh seawater off the west coast of South Africa. The Haliotis Midae species of abalone is only found in South Africa and is a premium abalone known world-wide for its white shell, white meat and exclusive taste and texture.
OUR ABALONE FARM
is situated in St. Helena Bay, 160 km north of Cape Town. The cold Benguela current supplies nutrient-rich pristine cold waters to our abalone, that feed on an abundance of kelp growing in the same area.
We start our journey with each abalone from spat, and nurture them for 4 to 5 years before harvesting, ensuring a succulent, juicy and tender meat.
OUR QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED STAFF
use careful farming technology with stringent bio-security measures to ensure healthy, natural and top quality product all year round, ready for your enjoyment.
VISIT OUR NEW ONLINE STORE
Available for Click & Collect in Cape Town and St Helena Bay, South Africa
OUR DIRECTORS
include founding member Jens Heimberg who also leads the JH Group which focuses not only on mariculture, but also property development, retail, restaurants, the hotel industry and packaging. Dennis Whyte, a professional Chemical Engineer is our Managing Director and ensures the abalone farm runs smoothly and efficiently. Karen Whyte, with a Master’s of Science background, brings scientific insight to the company.
OUR BUSINESS APPROACH
West Coast Abalone has three responsibilities: our abalone, our staff and our environment. We respect our abalone as living creatures and give them the best care possible with fresh seawater and abundant food. Within the farm context we try to optimise growing conditions to ensure good growth rates from healthy abalone. We focus on a nutritious diet made up mainly of local kelp / seaweed.
Our staff form the core of our business. Whether leading a section or being a member of the feeding and cleaning team, we recognise their value and contribution to the farm and the wellbeing of our abalone.
We challenge our staff to keep improving and learning, and to do the right thing. Some of our staff have been with us since the very early days of West Coast Abalone, growing within the company and bringing a wealth of experience to the farm.
We run our business as a sustainable, environmentally-responsible company, liaising with our community in the area. We have substantially reduced our use of plastics and limited our intake of municipal water. No harmful chemicals are used on the farm. We are continuously striving to reduce our impact on the environment.
Naturally Grown.
Appealingly Served.
Our Products
CANNED ABALONE
Our star performer is our canned abalone, providing tender and juicy meat-only abalone in brine/clear sauce. Our abalone is canned in its natural state using only salt in the brine. No chemicals, bleaching agents or preservatives are used in the process of canning our abalone. Their natural state is already perfect. The meat is tender, light and creamy in colour and completely natural, ensuring that our valued customers receive a premium, healthy product.
Canned abalone in brine is available in 425g cans with a drained weight of 213g. Various piece counts per can are available ranging from 5 to 18 pieces per can. The larger the abalone the fewer pieces per can. The abalone in the can are of uniform size, whole and without shell, so meat only.
They are ready to be used immediately in your favourite recipe. The shelf life of our cans is 5 years and this is indicated on the lid of the cans. Our canned abalone is convenient to use at home, at a restaurant, in a hotel or at your next family or business celebration. It is easy to use in any recipe, ensuring your delight and satisfaction.
LIVE ABALONE
Our fresh, live abalone is sold to you straight from our tanks to wherever you may be! Live abalone is transported only via air freight and packed carefully with oxygen and ice in polystyrene boxes, shortly before the flight.
Each polystyrene box is packed to a maximum of 8kg of abalone, ensuring that you get great quality abalone when it reaches its destination. Live abalone is sold in different size (weight) categories. We can supply any size from 50g to 200g per abalone.
Size categories: 50g – 60g, 70g – 90g, 90g-110g, 110g-150g, >150g
DRIED ABALONE
At West Coast Abalone we dry our abalone in-house in small batches. Each batch is carefully overseen and personally checked daily. Our technique has been perfected to produce the finest dried abalone. Our dried abalone will make your dish a superior culinary experience!
Grading: 17 to 26g per individual piece.
Latest Abalone Info Snippets Up On Our Blog
7 Easy Steps To Shucking Abalone
Hold abalone in your hand with the foot facing you and locate the head. Slip a tablespoon/soup spoon between the head and the shell and move it down towards the left while putting pressure onto the end of the spoon which is resting against the base of abalone foot...
RECIPE: Pan Fried Baby Abalone
1kg Live/Unfrozen Baby Abalone still in shell 2 Sprigs of Thyme 2 Gloves of Garlic Butter, not margarine Smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste 1. Steam abalone in shell for 4 minutes exactly. 2. Let them cool off and then clean them. 3. Brown butter in pan and...
RECIPE: Minced Abalone
Ingredients: 80g Butter 1 glove of garlic 90g Mushrooms finely sliced 1 can of Minced Abalone 3 teaspoon fresh Lemon Juice 125ml Cream Black Pepper to taste Nutmeg to taste Method: Brown butter in pan. Add fresh garlic and mushrooms. Stir until brown. Add minced...
RECIPE: Deep Fried Baby Abalone
1 Tin of Baby Abalone (13-30 pieces in a can) 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese 2/3 cups Plain Crumbs 1 egg beaten 1 cup Cornflower 2.5ml Smoked Paprika 2.5ml Smoked Chilli Flakes Salt to taste 1. Mix cheese, crumbs, paprika, chilli and salt. 2. First roll the abalone in the...
RECIPE: Flash fried baby abalone with garlic and a hint of soy
Ingredients: 8 baby abalone (shucked and cleaned); 2 cloves garlic; 1T sweet soy sauce, 1 t dark soy sauce, 1 T olive oil, 4 drops fish sauce (optional); 2 – 3 T butter, coriander, lemon to serve. Gently brush the abalone to finish cleaning, and rinse with water. If...
RECIPE: Perlemoenkoekies (a.k.a Fishcakes version 2)
This recipe is an alternative to the one above and was given to us by a abalone fan! Enjoy! Love the idea of using some of the brine in the can as a binder – such an effective way to add depth to the flavour. Ingredients: 2 cans of minced abalone 2 eggs 25ml oil...
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We pride ourselves in excellent customer service, ensuring that we deliver premium South African abalone worldwide.
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More Info
Should you wish to become an agent or stockist of our abalone, please contact us.
Visit Us
West Coast Abalone Pty Ltd
Cape St. Martin Road
Cape St. Martin Private Nature Reserve
St. Helena Bay
Call Us
+27 22 742 1844
Email Us
salesadmin@wca.co.za
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