Fine Canned Fish from Portugal by Briosa Gourmet
Briosa Gourmet is a Portuguese brand for fine canned fish, founded in 1991 by António Faustino in the fishing port of Figueira da Foz. Sardines, tuna, mackerel, and fine fish pâtés, processed by hand and wrapped in azulejo-patterned paper. Excellent fish, meticulous craftsmanship, a piece of the ocean for your pantry.
Briosa Gourmet stands for fine canned fish from Portugal, handmade and lovingly packaged. Behind the brand is A Briosa, a cannery located in the fishing port of Figueira da Foz on the Atlantic coast, halfway between Porto and Lisbon. Sardines, tuna, and mackerel arrive here fresh from the harbor daily, are hand-selected, and placed in the finest olive oil or fruity sauces. Excellent fish, the highest quality olive oil, and a healthy portion of craftsmanship—that is the short formula behind the name Briosa Gourmet.
1991, a modern beginning in Figueira da Foz
Briosa Gourmet is the brand of A Briosa, a cannery founded in 1991 as a modern project by António Faustino in the port of Figueira da Foz.
He chose the location carefully, as fish arrives directly at the Cabedelo fishing port without long transport routes. Freshness from the very first minute—that was the idea. From the beginning, the Faustino family combined modern skills with the traditional Portuguese art of canning and focused on strict quality standards, which soon convinced discerning markets in England, France, and the USA.
Figueira da Foz is located where the Mondego River flows into the Atlantic, a port and resort town with a long fishing tradition. The cool Atlantic off the coast provides sardines, mackerel, and tuna of the highest quality—exactly the fish that Briosa processes daily. The journey from the sea to the can could hardly be shorter.
For a long time, the Portuguese had to prove to the world that a sardine in a can could be something refined. The tradition of canning goes back over 200 years, but by the middle of the last century, canned goods were considered "poor man’s food," and of the roughly 400 canning factories that once existed, only a few dozen remained. For over 30 years, Briosa has been among those working to restore the good reputation of the sardine, with the best fish and finest olive oil, can by can.
Sardines, tuna, mackerel, and fine pâtés
The range extends from simple classics to gourmet recipes—spicy, fruity, and savory—featuring four types of fish in many variations.
Among the sardines, you will find classic sardines in olive oil, delicate small petingas, and, completely boneless, sardines in tomato sauce, as well as the summery version with lemon and basil. Tuna comes pure as tuna fillets in olive oil or aromatically with onion and bay leaf and with chickpeas, plus delicate mackerel fillets in olive oil. Every variety has its own character, from the subtle petinga to the bold mackerel fillet.
If you like it creamy, opt for the fish pâtés in the handy 75-gram tin. A fine tuna pâté, a mild salmon pâté, and spicy sardine and mackerel creams make excellent spreads and dips. For a quick bite, a tin and a piece of bread are enough; for an appetizer platter, combine several varieties to create a small feast.
Handcraft, fresh fish, azulejo paper
At Briosa Gourmet, much of the process is still genuine handwork, from filleting to wrapping the tins.
Busy hands clean and fillet sardines, mackerel, and tuna, place them with nimble fingers into the golden tins, and top them off with olive oil. Up to 60,000 tins are produced in a single day. Each one is wrapped by hand in its pretty paper, whose pattern recalls the famous Portuguese azulejo tiles—a small work of art that brings joy even before opening.
Anyone who knows the port of Figueira da Foz has an idea where the good taste comes from: seagulls over the boats, salt in the air, fresh catches that make their way to the cannery that very same day. This proximity to the sea is in every tin, in the sardine just as much as in the tuna.
"The essence of traditional taste"—that is how Briosa summarizes its own philosophy. Tradition and curiosity belong together for the cannery, covering both the classic oil sardine and the gourmet recipe with onion and bay leaf. Nothing is rushed, and that is exactly what makes the difference between mass-produced goods and a preserve that you open with pleasure.
A house with Porthos and over a hundred years of tradition
For many years, Briosa Gourmet has reached us through the house of Conservas Portugal Norte, one of the oldest cannery firms in Portugal.
Conservas Portugal Norte was founded in 1912 in Matosinhos in northern Portugal, not far from the large port of Porto de Leixões, and has been cultivating the art of canned fish for over 100 years. Even in Roman times, Matosinhos was an important hub for fish and seafood on the old road that led from Porto further north. The port remains a key economic driver for the region to this day, home to both canning factories and the famous cult beer, Super Bock.
Under the same roof, the tradition-steeped brand Porthos is also produced, its vintage tins featuring a sailor from golden times. Thus, Briosa combines the young, modern cannery from Figueira da Foz with the long experience of a house that has sustained Portuguese canned fish for generations. Two brands, one standard: to put Portuguese fish in a tin as well as the country has understood how to do for generations.
Several tins to go with bread, olives, and wine
Our favorite way to enjoy Briosa Gourmet is to open several tins at once, accompanied by good bread, olives, and a glass of wine, just as canned goods are served for sharing in Portuguese bars.
For an aperitif, open a few tins side by side: classic sardines in olive oil to place on bread, a mild salmon pâté to spread, plus lemon, radishes, and a chilled Vinho Verde. In no time, a few tins turn into a convivial meal, without any cooking. For a larger meal, mix cold tuna fillets into a bean salad, add toasted bread and some pickled peppers, and you have a plate that tastes of the south.
The pretty tins also make for a delightful gift; attractively arranged, they are a souvenir with Portuguese charm, whether as a small thank-you or as a component for a gift basket. If you love the pleasure of canned goods, you will find more sardines from Portugal in our shop. Simply try your way through; every tin tells its own little story of the Atlantic and a coast that has always loved its fish.
