Voting ends as Clinton-made oyster cookware awaits national award results
November 2, 2026
Voting has closed in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, and Laurens County will soon learn whether a product made in Clinton has earned a spot among the nation’s best.
The Le Petite Oyster Bed, made for veteran-owned The Oyster Bed LLC, is in the running in the Best Gift for Foodies category. The aluminum cookware is produced at Southern Aluminum Foundry & Machine on Torrington Road in Clinton.
“Every Le Petite that leaves our Clinton plant was poured and finished by people who live and work right here in Laurens County,” said Jerry Bricker, director of sales with CaneKast, the foundry’s parent company.
“Seeing their work recognized on a national stage is a point of pride for our whole team. We are grateful to every neighbor who took a minute to vote and show the country what Clinton can make.”
In its nomination, 10Best highlighted the pan’s versatility and distinctive design. The Le Petite holds six raw oysters for serving, but it can also go into the oven for cooked oyster dishes, carry a serving of shrimp and pasta or roast a small chicken. It can be placed over a direct flame on a stovetop or campfire, and it can be frozen to keep raw seafood cold until it reaches the table.
The pan is the smaller version of The Oyster Bed’s signature design. It features six individual wells and a reservoir that collects juices or holds sauces and garnishes. It measures about 14.5 inches long and 9.25 inches wide, weighs just over 2 pounds and stacks for easy storage.
The Oyster Bed is 100% veteran-owned, and its cookware can withstand temperatures up to 1,000 degrees. The company says its pans heat food evenly like cast iron without the weight, rust or seasoning that cast iron requires. The Le Petite retails for $149.99.
The company also supports oyster shell recycling and reef restoration nationwide, encouraging restaurants and shucking houses to return shells to local waters. Those efforts earned the small business a Gulf Guardian Award from the EPA for coastal conservation.
Southern Aluminum Foundry & Machine traces its roots to 1965, when C.O. Freeman started a small, part-time casting operation in Greenville. The business grew into a family-owned company and now operates facilities in Clinton and Laurens with more than 80,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The Clinton plant serves as the company’s headquarters and primary manufacturing site.
In 2023, the foundry joined CaneKast, a national network of foundries led by CEO Reg Zeller. In early 2025, the Clinton plant brought a DISA MATCH 24/28 green sand molding line fully online, an automated system capable of producing more than 100 molds per hour.
Beyond cookware, the foundry produces aluminum castings ranging from a few ounces to 400 pounds for industries including agriculture, transportation, medical equipment, infrastructure, construction and industrial machinery. Its services include sand and permanent mold casting, CNC machining and heat treatment.
USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice nominees are selected by a panel of experts, and readers vote to determine the top 10 in each category. Voting closed Monday, Nov. 2, and the Laurens County Buzz will share the results once the winners are announced.
Photo credit: Kali Norton
