Get geeky with us below if you want to learn more about some of our tinned fish, our favourite snack.
Conservas Ortiz (Spain) – In 1891, Bernardo Ortiz de Zárate began purchasing anchovies and north coast tuna from coastal fisherman, pickling the fish in wooden barrels to preserve them and sell the following day throughout Castile. He invented a system of mobile factories working exclusively on the coast. Escabeche is the technique of using vinegar to preserve food, protect flavour and preserve for a longer period of time, which Ortiz has mastered for more than 130 years.
Fast forward to the beginning of the 20th century and canning companies began to learn from the Italian salting technique “all vera carne” (spreading very little salt between layers of anchovies). As with many jobs linked to the sea, the work in the canning factories was mainly run by women while men were out on the water (and in many places in Spain and Portugal, this is still the case today). With Italian immigrants as far flung as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa wanting a taste from back home and Spain having some of the best anchovies in the world, Ortiz’s descendants created Conservas Ortiz in 1942 to satisfy this demand and are now known around the world as one of the best.
Try:
Ortiz Bonita White Tuna Fillets (112g)
Ortiz Anchovy Fillets
Ortiz Bonita White Tuna Fillets in Glass Jar
Ortiz Bonito Ventresca (Tuna Belly) Fillets in Olive Oil
Rizzoli (Italy) – Rizzoli was founded in Turin, on the ancient salt road connecting Piedmont with the port of Genoa and its wooden barrels filled with tuna. But after 30 years, the town of Parma with its booming tomato canning industry and a working railway system that caught their eye. Their anchovies in spicy sauce in their iconic gold tin are their flagship product – a recipe handed down orally to the firstborn of the family. Once prepared, it is left to mature for six months in old Marsala wooden barrels. And for over a century, they have used the same spice suppliers. “The smells and flavours of this emblem of Italian cuisine have never changed: there was no need. Proudly, since 1906.”
Try:
Rizzoli Anchovies in EVO
Rizzoli Anchovies in Spicy Sauce
Minerva (Portugal) – Named after the Greco-Roman goddess of excellence and wisdom, Minerva have been in the tinned fish business since 1938. After each day’s catch, the fish is hand-picked and deboned, steamed and then canned. A company with a great diversity of products and excellent quality.
Try:
Minerva Sardines in Olive Oil
Minerva Skinless & Boneless Sardines
Minerva Sardines in Lemon & Olive Oil
Armatore (Italy) – Armatore select only the largest anchovies, still fished at night off the Amalfi Coast each spring and processed just a few hours later, according to centuries-old Cetarese tradition. Matured in “terzigni” (chestnut barrels) for a minimum of 8 months, they are preserved in high quality olive oil. Be sure to also try the 4Rotte by Armatore products: “Ricciola” (Amberjack renown for its firm, pink flesh and delicate flavour) “Pesce Spade” (Swordfish fillets sourced from the Mediterranean) and “Scombro” (Mackerel Fillets with an authentic flavour of Cetara, Italy).
Tell us a bit about canning culture at the time you started 
