Measures of Growth Indicator in Action: Value-Added. How Glidden Point Oyster Farm Brings Innovation to the Working Waterfront

Value-Added is one of the 31 key economic indicators featured in the annual Measures of Growth Report. Each month this blog features a story that connects the data to real-life experience.

"Value-added" refers to transforming Maine's natural resources into higher-value products and experiences. It builds local wealth, strengthens communities, and creates lasting prosperity across the state.

Glidden Point Oyster Farm is helping to chart a new course for Maine's working waterfront. Although the farm has been around since the 1980s, current owner Ryan McPherson and his team are pioneering a new business model that draws from the state's maritime heritage while advancing a relatively new industry: oyster aquaculture.

Unlike lobsters or clams, oysters were not traditionally a hallmark of Maine's seafood economy. But McPherson thinks that can change. Maine's clean water, strong community of growers, and marine bioscience resources create a foundation for a thriving industry. As a buyer for about 20 small farms, McPherson is helping scale production across the state, while maintaining the high-quality, Mainegrown reputation that keeps chefs and consumers coming back.

Glidden Point doesn't just grow oysters. They also run a small retail shop; offer experiential tours that include education about oyster farming, shucking lessons, and/or tasting sessions; operate a wood-fired sauna; and provide direct-to-consumer shipping. While these don't necessarily generate big profits, they deepen engagement and strengthen the brand's relationship with consumers.

"Getting to meet people and chefs from all over the country and talk about oysters-you can't put a dollar value on that…That's the real magic." - Ryan McPherson, Owner, Glidden Point Oyster Farm, Edgecomb

By adding cultural and experiential value to a natural resource, Glidden Point is showing how to capture the full value of Maine oysters-not just in dollars, but in community, education, and customer loyalty. In the process, they are helping to build a new kind of waterfront economy-resilient, rooted, and ready to grow.

The Need for Continued Diligence

Value-Added is just one of the indicators the Maine Economic Growth Council, the nonpartisan, independent group that oversees the Measures of Growth report, uses to track factors that make Maine communities desirable, healthy, and supportive places to live, work, and play. This annual report offers a snapshot of how these factors intersect with Maine's economy, and why the Council recommends continued diligence on these fronts. 

 We hope you will dig into the data behind these Indicators and how they interconnect with other critical elements of Maine's economy. Visit the Measures of Growth section of our website where you can see all 31 indicators we featured in 2023, as well as past issues of the report dating back to 2010.