Pearl Street Caviar strives to bring pricey delicacy to the masses
Caviar is reentering the mainstream lexicon thanks to Craig Page, founder of Pearl Street Caviar, a food company that aims to reintroduce eaters to one of the world's priciest -- and most elusive -- delicacies.
Despite caviar's reputation as a decadent indulgence, the idea of popularizing the succulent sturgeon roe represents a return to its roots as an everyman's food. The company sources its product from sturgeon raised on a natural diet, offering benefits some health experts say include enhanced brain function, immune system boosts and healthier skin.
Pearl Street Caviar gets its sturgeon from central Asia and prepares their roe in Brooklyn, where they sell caviar, designed to be enjoyed in casual settings at an accessible price point.
"Caviar was an everyday food in New York. Since then, it's been kind of gilded. What we are trying to do is cut out the middleman, get caviar a little bit more well-priced and approachable to more normal, everyday New Yorkers," Page told CBS MoneyWatch.
Page conceived of the business with a friend at a dive bar -- just the kind of establishment where caviar was once commonly sold. Since then, a partnership with the NBA has helped introduce arenas full of people to a new taste.
"We've been trying to take caviar to where caviar hasn't been before," he said.
A 30 gram tin of Siberian select caviar from Pearl Street costs $64, roughly 40% less than existing brands.
In large part, the company's business model is made possible by the growth of sustainable aquafarms. As a result, the supply of caviar is expected to grow over the next decade. "It's going to be more readily available. You are going to see it where you didn't expect it," Page said.
One challenge has been fighting stigma, as well as changing caviar's image.
"The young person eating caviar, they might think that they either have to call their mom and say that it's a big occasion, or they feel they might be being judged as being a little bit hoity-toity. We want to make it so that people can unabashedly have caviar when ever they want," Page said.