Handy Crab History - Handy Seafood

Great tastes have a way of lasting—just ask the Handy family. For over a century, we’ve dedicated ourselves to serving up the finest crab and seafood from Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay region and beyond. This is our story.

1894

John T. Handy establishes Handy Seafood in Crisfield, Maryland.

1903

Handy becomes the first company to process soft shell crabs.

1980s-1990s

Handy Seafood revolutionized the soft shell crab industry. We introduced electronic sizing and became the first company with federally inspected processing for soft shell crabs.

During this time, we also pioneered chilled dressed soft shell crabs with an extended shelf life, allowing us to expand our reach beyond the domestic market. We began exporting products to major international hubs like Tokyo and Europe. To ensure the highest quality, we were the first processor to utilize cryogenic freezing for soft shell crabs, locking in freshness like never before.

2000s

The company expands operations to Asia. Terry Conway went to Southeast Asia. He found a similar crab species and set up new operations. To ensure the quality of their famous crab cakes, he brought employees from his Crisfield, Maryland plant to train the local workforce in the traditional techniques. This allowed Handy Seafood to meet growing demand while maintaining their high standards.