Vivian, oyster farmer, our first ambassador

A look back at Aquavitex debuts and meetings with our oyster farmers ambassador.

Jean-Philippe Aunis, founder of Aquavitex, went on an actual tour of France to meet and learn from professionals from the sea and the land. This is the case of our first ambassador, Vivian, an oyster farmer in Bouin, France.

Today we present you a meeting which marked us, the one with Vivian, nurseur and oyster farmer in Bouin, France. He was one of the first to believe in and participate in the Aquavitex adventure and we are proud to have him among our ambassadors.

We met Vivian on his farm in Bouin, in the French department of Vendée. He welcomes us in his oyster farmer’s shed for a coffee. I take out my notebook to start the interview, as he lights up a cigaret.

Aquavitex : Hello Vivian. Could you tell us what you job consists of exactly?

Vivian : My two jobs are nurseur to pre-grow shellfish spat and oyster farmer to produce marketable oysters sold in winter.

Aquavitex : Since when have you been doing this job?

Vivian : I’ve been working in the oyster farming industry since 1999, but I’ve always worked for aquaculture causes since 1999.

Aquavitex : Tell us about your meeting with Jean-Philippe Aunis.

Vivian : Nearly two years ago, a man came to my farm with a strong motivation to design marine clothing and accessories that would be as suitable as possible for our profession. After more than a year of discussion and prototypes tested (with some failures) , Jean-Philippe launched the brand Aquavitex.

Aquavitex : What did you like about this project? And why did you decide to get involved?

Vivian : Mr Aunis straightaway asked for my help improve the already existing products. I liked his approach that was to come meet the professionals to truly understand the actual stakes of our protections. I actually contributed to the development of the cut resistant gloves, because I couldn’t find any that were resistant enough on the market.

buy the cut resistant gloves

Aquavitex : You are one of the first who tried and used in situation our products (oilskin, bib and braces fishing overalls, gloves, boots). What do you think after a year of use?

Vivian : The prodcuts are resistants but also flexible. It’s really nice to wear every day. The clothes are suitable for my job and last a long time, which saves money in the long run.

Aquavitex : What will be your next Aquavitex purchase?

Vivian : Probably overalls and gloves for my new employee. I know the products so I could order them online directly.

Aquavitex : To conclude, how would you qualify this brand from Nantes?

Vivian :

A promising and resourceful brand to make our lives easier…

The interview is over and we leave the shed to go discover the spat. The sky is white, and under the drizzle we are so familiar with here, I discover the ponds full of thousands of tiny oysters.

see fleece jacket