With Restaurants Closed, Meat, Fish Supplier Sells To Public

BRANDON, FL — After Gov. Ron DeSantis closed restaurants due to the coronavirus outbreak, a locally owned beef, pork, poultry and fish supplier was left with thousands of pounds of meat and no restaurants to sell it to.

"We lost 80 percent of our business when the restaurants closed," said John Talbott, owner of Local & Turtle Foods. "What we really need is for people to start going out and supporting locally owned restaurants to support our community and stop eating national chains."

The company offered to sell its meat and fish to area grocery stores at cost but was told that Local & Turtle Foods wasn't an "approved vendor."

"We ended up freezing a couple of thousand pounds of meat," said Talbott.

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Faced with bare shelves and meager selections at the grocery stores, word quickly spread to among residents that Local & Turtle Foods has all-natural prime meats and locally sourced fresh fish available at its warehouse off U.S. 301 and Adamo Drive.

Patch reader Tori Arenberg said she was lamenting to a friend that she could find any quality chicken to purchase at the grocery store, and the friend told her about Local Seafood and Turtle Beach.

"We have a retail license and have always been open to the public," said Talbott. "But most people don't want to buy their meat in bulk or go to an industrial park to do their shopping."

The quantity and location didn't bother Arenberg.

"This worked out great for our family because so many grocery stores were sold out of chicken, and we didn't know where else to look," she said.

In addition to offering frozen beef, chicken, pork and seafood in bulk quantities, the warehouse has 12 fish cutters on staff to cut fresh fish shipped daily to local restaurants including amberjack, tuna, grouper, snapper and many others.

Residents can also stock up on frozen ribeye, striploin and sirloin steaks, Angus beef tenderloin, brisket, pork chops, ribs and butts, chicken and turkey breasts, shrimp, scallops and lobster tails.

"People can order online or give us a call," said Talbott. "We'll have it ready for them. Just drive up, and we'll load their orders into their cars."

Talbott said whatever frozen meats go unsold during the restaurant closures will be donated to local food banks.

Click here for a list of products available.

Local & Turtle Foods is located at 9301 Solar Drive, Tampa, behind the car dealerships on Adamo Drive and U.S. 301. Call 813-570-8222.

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