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Crabby Bags makes enjoying seafood boils easier than ever, turning a cherished tradition into a fun and flavorful experience. Keish and Lafayette Warren founded the Georgia-based company, a disabled veteran, minority, and woman-owned small family business, in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The couple aims to bring the bold and delicious tastes of the South to kitchens, blending regional flavors nationwide with user-friendly packaging.
What’s a Seafood Boil?
For the uninitiated, a seafood boil is a harmonious medley of seafood and hearty sides boiled together to create a communal meal. “The essence of a seafood boil comes from making a meal from what you have on hand,” Keish explains.
“Traditionally, the key components include corn, potatoes, and sausage, but a seafood boil can contain anything you can get your hands on. The defining feature, however, is the spices—they give it the distinctive flavor that sets it apart.”
Spices used in seafood boils vary geographically, like Creole or Cajun spices. “It’s important to explain what ‘Cajun’ is because many people don’t know the difference between Cajun and Creole,” the South Carolina native says.
She continues, “Cajuns, historically Arcadians, settled in the middle of Louisiana, away from the coastal areas where Creoles typically lived. In the Cajun region, resources were more limited compared to areas like New Orleans, where access to seafood and water was easier. Back then, Cajuns relied on what was readily available from the land. Crawfish, for example, became a staple because it would appear abundantly after heavy rains, making it easy to gather. Corn and potatoes were also staples in seafood boils because they’re simple to grow in most areas.”
Mediocre Lunches Spawn a Business
Pre-pandemic, Keish’s lunch breaks at Delta Airlines were a struggle, with overpriced and underwhelming cafeteria food. She got creative by preparing Lowcountry (meaning shrimp) boils in steam bags for her work lunches, drawing attention and admiration from colleagues.
“They kept commenting, ‘Wow, you made that here?’ And I’d nod and keep eating. But it kept coming up. People were fascinated that I’d made something so good and easy to eat at work. I didn’t think much of it at the time. I’ve always been a bit of a daydreamer, lost in my own world, and the idea didn’t feel like a big deal,” recalls the mother of three.
Fast forward six months into the pandemic, and life looked very different for the Warrens. “I was working from home, our son Kani was in fifth grade trying to do school on his laptop, and my husband Lafayette was on his laptop for work,” Keish says.
“Lunch became an issue. Kani is easygoing, but I’d tell him, ‘Let me finish this last thing,’ and 30 minutes would turn into an hour. I’d look up, and he’d be eating noodles again.”
That’s when inspiration struck. “I remembered those steam bags and thought, ‘Maybe I can do that seafood boils again.’ Lafayette had recently overdone it with a 30-pound box of snow crab and tons of crawfish, so I portioned the leftovers into bags for Kani to heat up for lunch.”
Being a perfectionist, Keish couldn’t stop there. “I went down a rabbit hole on Amazon for the perfect little bags, added extra sauce, and made them look cute. When friends saw them, they said, ‘This is such a great idea! You should sell these.’”
At the time, the Warrens had just closed their high-end barber spa due to the pandemic. “We had to let it go, but the domain for the spa website auto-renewed. Since I’d already paid for it, I figured I’d use it for something else. I designed some cute labels because I can’t sell anything unless it looks good,” Keish shares about her requirements.
Starting small, Keish sold the bags to friends for $25. Then came the game-changer; her friend’s daughter, Desiah, made a 16-second TikTok video showcasing the bags.
“Within three minutes, the video went viral. Orders poured in, and my little website crashed five or six times,” she says. “I wasn’t ready at all. I didn’t even know how to ship food through the mail. When I got home, I was shaking. I told Lafayette, ‘We have a viral video.’ He said, ‘Okay,’ like it was no big deal,” she recalls about her husband, who is from Louisiana.
A New Business
Shipping Crabby Bags turned out to be far more complicated than making them. “Initially, we had no idea what we were getting into with dry ice,” Keish says. “One time, we were in the UPS parking lot with about 75 orders to ship, and a guy asked, ‘What are you doing with all those boxes?’ We explained, and he said, ‘As soon as you go into business, you’re immediately a logistics company.’ At the time, I didn’t fully grasp what he meant.”
The learning curve was steep. “Making the bags? That was easy. Shipping them? That was a whole different story.” The Warrens started by contracting with a dry ice company, buying insulated coolers, and packing everything themselves. “As long as the shipping was two-day air or less, the dry ice kept everything frozen if we packed it right,” Keish explains.
It was a bittersweet feeling for the Warrens because they were getting orders, but the process was chaotic. “Orders would pour in, and we’d immediately fall behind—not by days, but weeks,” she recalls. “It might not sound like much, but it adds up when you’re processing 1,500 orders and constantly hauling 10-pound blocks of dry ice. Dry ice is heavy, and moving it repeatedly takes a toll.”
Eventually, the demand became too much to handle. “That’s when we decided to partner with a 3PL fulfillment center,” she says. “They have their own dry ice machines and handle all the shipping for us. It’s completely out of our hands—they take care of everything. It’s such a relief knowing everything will arrive safely, and we don’t have to bear the weight—literally or figuratively—anymore.”
Taste the Region of a Seafood Boil Bag
Keish emphasizes that Crabby Bags isn’t just a product; it’s a gateway to creating unforgettable memories. “You can have a seafood boil anywhere, but we wanted to make it easy, fun, and accessible without losing the culture and tradition that make it special.”
The Warrens designed each Crabby Bag to reflect the region’s spirit. “When you look at our crawfish boil label, you should immediately think of New Orleans. We captured the unique look of South Carolina’s beaches for the Lowcountry boil—the grass growing through the sand, something you won’t see anywhere else.”
Authenticity is key, and it starts with the ingredients. “All our crawfish come straight from Lake Charles, Louisiana, and our sausage blend is crafted in Valdosta, Georgia,” Keish shares. “It’s not just about quality; it’s about supporting small communities like Valdosta, where a single factory can sustain 1,500 families. Coming from a small town, I know how much that matters.”
The distinctive flavor profile of Crabby Bags further sets it apart. The Warrens blended Louisiana’s seasoned water boils with South Carolina’s broth-based style to create a product that honors both traditions.
“In Louisiana, they season the water and let the seafood soak. We chop up garlic and onions in South Carolina, making it a buttery broth. We wanted to give people the best of both worlds. It’s not just Cajun, it’s a fusion of bold, authentic, and unmistakably Southern styles.”
Patience is a Virtue
While grateful for the business, Keish does ask for some grace regarding costs and shipping times. “I want people to understand about our shipping is this: it’s a luxury,” she explains.
“Think about it—ordering frozen food online, like clams from Boston or snow crab from Louisiana, and having it delivered to your doorstep in two days is incredible. It’s a convenience that not many people in our culture have historically had access to. Only in the last decade or so has this kind of service been an option for most people.”
She continues, “But luxury comes with a cost. Shipping perishable items like seafood is expensive, and there’s no way around it. The packaging has to be insulated, the dry ice has to keep everything frozen, and the shipping speed has to be fast. That’s not cheap. Most seafood companies that sell online won’t even take your order unless you’re spending $200 or more.”
Keish states she goes out of her way to keep Crabby Bags prices as reasonable as possible so more people can try their seafood boil bag. “We take a huge cut on our profits because I want people to experience this. I want them to have the chance to flex because once you’ve done it, you won’t go back. It’s like flying first class for the first time. You think, ‘Wow, this is the life.’ I want our customers to feel that way about Crabby Bags.”
She also acknowledges that the high cost of shipping can sometimes draw criticism. “I’ve had people say, ‘Why is this so expensive?’ And my answer is simple: it’s not expensive, it’s just the cost of doing business when it comes to perishable items. Every step of the process—insulation, dry ice, expedited shipping—is necessary to ensure the product arrives in perfect condition. It’s not something we cut corners on.”
She also wants people to understand how these efforts align with broader changes in how we shop. “This is where the grocery world is heading,” she says. “More and more people are ordering specialty foods online and having them delivered. It’s convenient, modern, and exciting to see people in our community embrace that. But I also want folks to know that we work hard to make this accessible, even if it means taking a smaller margin. This is more than profit, it’s about creating an experience.”
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What’s Next for Crabby Bag Seafood Boils
“The goal for Crabby Bags is to eventually have a bag that represents all the different ways people enjoy seafood boils,” she shares. “We’ll have the New England style, with their love of lobster, and Baltimore’s unique take on seafood. And I can’t wait to explore Asian-inspired seafood boils because their flavors are incredible.”
The vision extends beyond just boils. “The ultimate goal is to create a bag and soup that celebrates every culture’s approach to seafood. For example, crawfish boils are a must. As soon as I can make it happen, we’ll add gumbo because that’s Louisiana—that’s New Orleans. Crawfish and gumbo just belong together.”
Keish envisions a diverse lineup. “We’ll have snow crab for classic seafood boils, lobster with clam soups, and more. Everything will be tied to its region—bags, soups, sauces, and seasonings that honor each style of enjoying seafood. ”For the Warrens, the goal of Crabby Bags isn’t just to deliver great seafood. It’s to bring people together. This is a memory meal,” she says.
“It’s perfect for family game nights or casual get-togethers. We’ve put so much thought into making it relatable and fun for everyone. It’s not just food—it’s an experience.”
Ready to try? Grab your Crabby by ordering on through their website. For reviews, updates and more, follow them on TikTok and Instagram.