Why Is Caviar So Expensive?

Caviar Versus Roe

In order to answer this question, first it is important to understand where caviar comes from. A common confusion that many people have is the difference between caviar and roe. Roe are fish eggs that are unfertilized and can come from marine animals while caviar are low salt-cured fish roe that comes specifically from the sturgeon fish. Essentially, caviar comes from roe, but undergo a more intricate curing process before consumption. The difference is the marine animal that the fish eggs come from. The roe from sturgeon fishes is not technically considered caviar until they undergo the curing process.

Now that we understand the difference between caviar and roe, we can delve deeper into why caviar is considered a delicacy with a luxurious price tag.

The biggest factor of the delicacy of caviar is the time that it takes to produce the final product. Our sturgeons are raised in pure spring water and stable temperature year-round in order to ensure the best environment for the fish. Because of its living conditions, the sturgeons lay eggs that are larger in size and more complex in flavor. Female sturgeons have a life span of about 10-25 years and only produce eggs nearing the end of their life cycle. This makes harvesting difficult as it is a waiting game for the fish to mature and produce eggs. After the eggs are harvested and cleaned, the roe must undergo a salt curing process that can last between one to four months in order to add complexity and depth to the caviar. All the caviar must be graded as well, which is why the prices of the different kinds may fluctuate. Factors such as color, size, maturity, firmness, flavor, intensity, and complexion can affect the grade of the cured roe. Each individual bead is very delicate and fragile, so in order to keep its structure, they must be handled with extreme care.

Caviar is a delicacy product with a high price tag due to the long and vigilant process it takes for the roe to reach its final form. At Astrea, our caviar is crafted in small batches and we offer only a few select grades. Although our method may be meticulous and laborious, the result is caviar that is of the highest caliber.

New to Astrea and unsure of which caviar to choose from? Our 30g gift set is a great choice to share with a friend in order to taste test each of our quality caviar products, paired with two mother of pearl spoons and a convenient opener!