Our Story - Guided by Quality
''To stand out is to attract attention, either for the way you look or behave, or because you perform better at something than other people do.''
Our goal has always been to offer our customers the best tasting, highest quality tinned seafood's available. Over the past Ten years, we have established a close relationship with our producers to bring Portugal's best conserves (tinned fish) to the shores of Australia. Our ever expanding family of Brands not only includes Portugal's best tinned selections, it now includes La Perle des Dieux from France, Fangst from Denmark and El Capricho from Spain.
Standing out is our motto, inside and outside our tins. In selecting our product line, the Canned Company has carefully selected only the highest quality ingredients - offering the satisfaction our customers demand in premium tinned seafood. We’re proud to use ingredients extracted from fresh premium produce, from the quality olive oils to Sardines processed from fresh.
Watch Snippet - Anthony Bourdain No Reservations Lisbon
Portugal has a long history of preserving fish. It was during the Iron Age when the method of preserving fish in sea salt was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula and used by the Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians, followed by the Romans.
The first commercial cannery in Portugal (and now the oldest in Europe), Ramirez, was opened in 1853, setting up factories in Setúbal, the Algarve and Vila Real de Santo Antonio in the North to can sardines in olive oil. After the method of pasteurization was introduced in 1862, several more canneries opened, not only for sardines but tuna and various other fish. These canneries were mainly in the areas of Espinho (near Porto), Setúbal and the Algarve, where there were thriving fishing industries. Setúbal eventually became the main hub for sardine canneries. The early 1900’s brought new technology, including the first can-sealing machines which streamlined business and allowed more factories to open, producing for both the local and international market. It was also around this time that the age-old practice of frying fish before canning eventually changed to boiling it in salt water and other spices, adding the remainder of the cooking liquid in the can. This style of preparation not only enhanced flavor but helped retain the juices. By 1983 there were 152 canning factories in Portugal, producing around 34,000 tons a year and was one of the largest exporters of canned fish.
It was soon after though in the late 80’s and throughout the 90’s that the canning industry suffered a terrible period of decline, with numerous factories and producers closing their doors and canned fish taking the back shelf in Portuguese minds.
