Clinton factory’s oyster cookware up for national award, voting ends Nov. 2!
November 1, 2026
Laurens County residents have until Monday, Nov. 2, to help a a veteran-owned company – the Oyster Bed LLC – earn national recognition in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for a product made right here in our county!
The Le Petite Oyster Bed is a nominee in the Best Gift for Foodies category. The aluminum cookware is produced at Southern Aluminum Foundry & Machine on Torrington Road in Clinton.
Click HERE to vote for a product made in Laurens County!
“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’d be grateful if our neighbors would take a minute to vote before Monday’s deadline 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. This earned the small business recognition by the EPA as a recipient of its “Gulf Guardian Award” for its coastal conservation efforts.
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 is open to adults 18 and older, who may vote once per category each day.
Voting ends Monday, Nov. 2. Readers can vote for the Le Petite Oyster Serving Plate in the Best Gift for Foodies category at 10best.usatoday.com: https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/oyster-bed-le-petite-oyster-serving-plate/
Photo credit: Kali Norton
