Rx Chicken & Oysters Earns Kudos for Sustainability Practices

Rx Chicken & Oysters has been recognized on a national stage for its commitment to sustainability, earning a $25,000 Chase Innovator Award from the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC) in partnership with Chase Bank.

Selected as one of just 40 restaurants nationwide, and the only recipient in North Carolina, Rx was honored for its forward-thinking approach to environmental stewardship, workforce engagement and hyper-local sourcing, officials said. The grant is part of a broader initiative designed to “strengthen the ideas, practices and business models that promote sustainability and environmental innovation,” according to IRC executive director Erika Polmar.

For Rx owners James and Sarah Doss, the award is both validation and a catalyst for growth.

“We used the grant to purchase some equipment that will dramatically increase our efficiency and production on the farm, including a conveyor and a new sorting tube for our oysters,” said Sarah Doss. “The conveyor and sorting tube will cut our marketable oyster harvest time by at least 50%. We’ve also increased the size of our aquaculture operation by purchasing new oyster cages and bags, increasing our growing capacity by 80%. This will allow us to produce enough Lucy Bea oysters to sell wholesale in larger markets. We’re expanding our distribution in the Charleston, South Carolina, market this year.”

That expansion builds on a model that is already deeply rooted in sustainability. Rx farms its own Lucy Bea oysters and clams, harvests wild shellfish and sources fish using low-impact methods. The team also targets invasive lionfish, helping remove them from local waters while adding a unique offering to the menu.

Beyond sourcing, oyster farming plays a critical role in environmental restoration.

“From a sustainability standpoint, oyster farming is regenerative: it restores water quality, protects coastlines, sequesters carbon, and provides marine habitat while requiring no feed or fertilizer to grow,” Sarah Doss explained. “A single adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, removing excess nitrogen and phosphorus, which can cause algae blooms. Ultimately, by allowing us to expand our farming operations, this grant will improve local water quality.”

The grant is also enhancing Rx’s fishing capabilities.

“As for our fishing operation, we were able to purchase and install a trolling motor, which has already allowed us to significantly increase the number of fish we catch for Rx, making our fishing trips more efficient and more profitable,” said Sarah Doss. “The grant also paid for some additional scuba training and certifications so that James and I can increase our bottom time, operating depth, and dive frequency, which will allow us to better target the invasive lionfish for our menu. Targeting of lionfish helps to protect our local fisheries, as these fish are voracious eaters with no natural predators in the Atlantic.”

While the environmental impact is significant, the funding also addresses a growing challenge for independent restaurants: economic sustainability.

“It has been extremely helpful for us,” Sarah Doss said. “Rising costs for small businesses have made it increasingly difficult to operate a profitable business. Communities rely on small businesses, and we are so appreciative that Chase, in partnership with the IRC, is choosing to invest in some of us. In such a fast-changing world, traditional models don’t always work, and post-COVID challenges encouraged us to think outside the box regarding the future of our business. By investing in alternative revenue streams such as our aquaculture and fishing operations, we are able to better fortify ourselves in a tough economy, while also caring for the environment and providing some fun perks for our staff.”

Looking ahead, Rx continues to expand what it can offer both on and off the plate.

“We’re continuing to increase our local offerings,” Sarah Doss said. “A lot of the clams we planted two years ago are now market-sized and are available to the public at the Wilmington Farmers Market and on our menu at Rx. This will be our first full season with the trolling motor and additional scuba certifications, and we expect to increase our sustainable fish offerings this year.”

She said Rx is working with the health department to be in compliance to serve raw fish preparations such as crudos and tartare, along with ceviche.

“Those will be new offerings for the summer. By self-sourcing, we’re able to feature items that are rarely available at seafood markets and in other restaurants, such as spiny lobster and slipper lobster,” Sarah Doss said. “Grouper season opens May 1, and that is also something we’re really looking forward to.”