Beluga caviar is roe from the Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso), the largest and slowest-maturing sturgeon species. It's known for large, soft pearls and a mild, buttery flavor, and it's traditionally considered the top tier of caviar.

Beluga caviar comes from the Huso huso sturgeon, native to the Caspian and Black Seas. Because the species is critically endangered, wild trade has been heavily restricted since 2005, so genuine Beluga sold today comes from a small number of certified farms rather than wild catch.

True Beluga (Huso huso) typically runs $200 to $500+ per ounce, since the sturgeon takes 15 to 20 years to mature and yields are limited. That price and scarcity are exactly why River Beluga Hybrid exists, it delivers a similar large-pearl, creamy experience from a faster-maturing, sustainably farmed sturgeon, at a fraction of the cost. LOFT's River Beluga Hybrid Gift Set starts at $150 for 2x50g.

Beluga Hybrid, also called River Beluga or Kaluga Hybrid, comes from a cross between the Kaluga sturgeon (Huso dauricus) and the Amur sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii). It's farmed and sustainable, with large pearls and a rich, creamy flavor close to true Beluga, without the rarity or price tag of Huso huso.

The LOFT River Beluga Hybrid Gift Set comes with 2 to 6 freshly packed tins of River Beluga, a mother-of-pearl spoon, a tin opener, and a velvet pouch. It's the hybrid alternative to true Beluga covered above, in a ready-to-gift set, starting at $150 for 2x50g.