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M a i n e — A P h oto P o rt r A i t o f t h e P i n e t r ee S tAt e P r o f i l e s i n e x c e l l e n c e 150 What makes her unique is that she does not send any Maine-caught lobsters to Canada for processing or buy any of theirs when Maine's winter lobsters be- come scarce. She has her own lobster pound to house live lobsters for winter sales. With other dealers send- ing more than 70% of Maine-caught lobsters to be pro- cessed in Canada, Maine loses in two ways: jobs and brand identity. Bean understands that when Canadian processors buy Maine lobsters cheap and process them in government subsidized plants, she can lose one other way: Canadian companies can afford to under- sell her products in volume markets such as American entertainment theme parks and cruise ships. "This is why Maine fishermen get low prices: it's the Canadian problem. Canadian price supports come flooding into our country and seize our markets. It is so unfair to our fishermen," says Bean. "Canada sets the price un- til we build more plants in Maine, which is stymied by there being no international agreement to level the playing field where each player has an equal chance to succeed." In 2010, Bean's first frozen seafood product came forth: cooked, in-shell cocktail claws, pre-scored for easy shell removal. An instant hit, it was launched with Walmart in 800 super stores followed by suc- cessive annual appearances at Walt Disney World Re- sort's Epcot theme park where tens of thousands are sold at the International Food & Wine Festival. A great banquet table offering, such as at Maine Governor LePage's inaugural ceremonies, this product required an act of the Maine Legislature to enable the claws to be pre cut and sold separated from the body. Bean now trademarks the product under the name Maine Lobster Cuddlers ® . Packaging wholesale lobster claws, connected to the arms, makes this product available to restaurant chefs nationwide. In retail grocery, the Cuddlers ® appear in Bean's colorful nylon-reinforced poly bag. The company's success was snowballing by 2011, when Linda Bean's Maine Kitchen & Topside Tav- ern opened in Freeport: a 240-seat restaurant located across the street from her famed grandfather's flag- ship store, L.L.Bean. The restaurant serves her Maine lobsters, wild-caught Maine shrimp and white fish, Maine meats and vegetables, and homemade pies. A "Our CEO John Petersdorf and I are both thankful for a dedicated working team to make authentic Maine lobster more accessible and affordable to the consumer, which we think is the best formula to help support the Maine lobster industry." Top: Maine law permits a maximum of 800 traps per licensee. Maine issues about 6,000 licenses, most to boats with two people working aboard. Bottom: A lobster sports an identification band developed by Linda Bean that verifies the authenticity and location of the Maine dock where the lobster was purchased. P h o t o B y c . a . s M i t h P h o t o G r a P h y