In the last 20 years of the oyster industry, ‘taste of place’ has increasingly been combined with flavor profiles to increase the marketability of the oysters. Prior to the explosion of the half-shell market and hip oyster bars, oysters were primarily grown in cultch/clusters and sold as jarred shucked meats. The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the richest variation of oyster meroirand tastiest oysters. West Coast native Jon Rowley is largely credited with shaping the Pacific Northwest appreciation for good oysters and seafood, though is consultant work with Taylor Shellfish Farms and other work. Taylor Shellfish Farms is the largest shellfish company in North America and grows four species of oysters (Virginicas, Olympias, Kumamotos, and Pacifics) up and down the Salish Sea and the Pacific coast, from Fanny Bay British Columbia to the inlets of South Puget Sound. Their Pacific oysters (making up >85% of their revenue) taste different depending on the specific water grown in and the cultivation method (tumblers in the water or directly on the ground), and are marketed thus at their oyster bars in Seattle, WA. Taylor Shellfish considers restoration and environmental protection to be a top priority to shellfish farmers, and works with the Puget Sound Restoration Fund to restore populations of Olympia oysters, and does significant work lobbing for marine environmental protections. They partner with the Squaxin Island Tribe and others, and support local oyster farmers.