A product’s standalone quality and taste can sometimes be enough to tell a story. Cloudy Bay Clams is one example.
For George Manettas, a seafood specialist of more than 50 years, the story behind a brand is as valuable as the product itself. Joining Food & Beverage Industry News, he paints a picture: imagine entering a restaurant and coming across a menu section describing a pasta that says, “made with Cloudy Bay Clams”.
Supplying high-quality seafood products to five-star hotels, restaurants, airlines, and cruise ships, he has witnessed many changes in the industry from consumer behaviours, and changes in taste preferences and trends. Once, dishes were often heavily sauced or battered, masking the natural flavours of seafood.
While a business may be susceptible to these shifts, in recent years, chefs and consumers have moved towards healthier options that highlight the intrinsic qualities of seafood. This has allowed culinary professionals to create dishes that are lighter, cleaner, and more nuanced. With a product that can stand on its own, the story and branding around it come naturally.
“The natural flavours that are coming out of the Abrolhos Western Australia scallops, Queensland raw and cooked king prawns and Cloudy Bay Clams speak for themselves now,” he said.
Established in 1990, Cloudy Bay Clams has broken through the industry with decades of expertise committed to sustainable and premium wild shellfish. Originally founded by a pioneering family of fishers, the company built its reputation by capturing the taste of freshness in its clams in New Zealand.
Under new ownership by Tony Muollo, the company is now marketed by George Manettas and Co to deliver clams across the Asia-Pacific region and is building on new chilled blanched formats for foodservice, updated frozen packaging, and enhanced support tools for chefs, distributors, and retailers.
Harvesting clams responsibly
Alongside the health benefits of clams that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and essential minerals including zinc and selenium, what drew Manettas to the business was the company’s pride in its harvesting techniques. These methods are designed to protect the marine environment while delivering clams of the highest quality.
“For the past 30 years, we have not changed the process of catching the clams,” he said. “We use what is called a winnowing clam rake.”
This rake is placed on the back of the fishing boats where they scoop up clams as the boat gently moves out into the surf. He explained that this is an environmentally friendly process as clams are collected from the seabed without disturbing the surrounding habitat.
“Through this winnowing system, smaller clams fall out back into the ocean,” added Manettas.
With the smaller clams returning to the ocean, the company ensures continued regeneration, creating a sustainable cycle that preserves the natural ecosystem. The harvested clams are then submerged in sea water on deck, with aerated water being frequently refreshed to allow them to continue natural respiration.
Back to the facility
Clams remain in a truck until they arrive at the wet store facility. The facility features seven large tanks which Manettas described as swimming pools. He highlighted the key element of the facility that simulates the clams’ natural environment.
“The important thing about our facility is that the water that comes into the factory is from the ocean,” he said.
Alongside ocean water to provide a natural environment, Cloudy Bay Clams also maintains it at a controlled temperature of around 10°C, which clams thrive in, as required by the NZFSA. Once used, the water is returned to the sea through an infiltration gallery.
The clams are placed in a single layer and stacked to allow uniform flow of water across them. They are kept in the tanks for approximately 24 hours to rid them of grit and sand. As clams are bivalves – molluscs with soft bodies and shells made of two hinged parts – they naturally expel sand and impurities. This method ensures the clams are clean, fresh, and ready for consumption without compromising their quality or nutritional value.
Both the clams and the water are tested regularly to ensure there is no contamination. All water used in this process is USFDA approved and regularly monitored to maintain the highest possible quality.
These nutritional qualities, combined with the sustainable practices, give the product both health and trust advantages. This focus aligns with contemporary trends in consumer awareness, where diners increasingly seek not only flavour but also knowledge about the foods they consume.
Challenges
“There are always challenges every day,” said Manettas. “From missing a plane going overseas to a truck not turning up in time; that’s just part of the business.”
This is also evident in governmental regulations. Currently, Australian regulations prevent the importation of live clams, limiting the ability to supply this delicacy to domestic markets. To navigate these restrictions, the company supplies frozen clams within Australia and live clams to select international markets, including Hong Kong, Singapore, and New Zealand.
Additionally, Cloudy Bay Clams has developed robust systems to manage these risks, from coordinating timely truck and air transport to maintaining strict temperature control and handling protocols. While challenges occur daily, the company’s experience allows it to adapt quickly, ensuring product integrity and reliability.
In addition to its focus on high-quality products and sustainability, Cloudy Bay Clams continues to innovate, with its facility being a core example.
“As we have been selling our clams, we’ve also upgraded our facility to be purpose-built,” said Manettas.
With newly identified key growth opportunities internationally, such innovations, adoption of efficient systems, and certifications safeguard the business.
The fishery is now part of the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) Fishery Improvement Project and is progressing toward full MSC certification. Recent investments in CRM and QA systems will further strengthen communication, traceability, and service delivery.
By placing emphasis on the broader industry context with a growing focus on sustainability, it allows consumers to be more informed about sourcing, environmental impact, and health benefits.
Back to the story
According to Manettas, consumers are becoming more wary of the products they purchase.
“They’re asking questions at restaurants, fish shops and dinner parties about a product’s origins and its sustainability,” he said.
He continued to say that this shift in consumer behaviour encourages him even more about Cloudy Bay Clams due to its quality products and robust sustainable systems.
Looking ahead, the company is ramping up direct industry engagement through trade activations and tastings in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Singapore, along with planned participation in hospitality trade shows in 2025. Long-term plans include achieving certification to enter the European Union market, which presents additional regulatory hurdles but offers substantial growth potential.
Manettas circles back to the importance of the story. By building a story that is as effective and true as the product, Cloudy Bay Clams aims to elevate the culinary experience in restaurants and hotels.
“I don’t want to be known as just ‘George Manettas selling clams’ when we have sustainably harvested clams,” said Manettas. “I want to be known for selling the best clams in the world that have both health and taste benefits.”
The company combines a rich heritage in seafood with modern facility management, logistics expertise, and strategic marketing, meeting the evolving demands of the global seafood market. When the Muollo and Manettas families came together, combining both fishing and marketing expertise, they wanted to be more than just a seafood wholesaler.
“We wanted a story that wasn’t just about selling seafood,” said Manettas. “We wanted something that was sustainable as that is what the industry needs more of now.”