Sardines from Portugal

Sardines — Portugal in Vintage Cans

Sardines from Portugal in colorful vintage cans are a popular souvenir from a holiday in Portugal. There, they seem to be available everywhere, in every small kiosk, and of course, served in cans in bars along the Algarve or the Atlantic, in Lisbon or Porto. However, in the mid-20th century, there was a major decline in fish canning factories because canned sardines had a poor reputation. Of the once good 400 canning manufacturers, only a few dozen remain. The Portuguese had always remained loyal to sardines, but exports struggled for a long time.

Sardines — Symbol of Portugal, the Maritime Nation

For 200 years, in the maritime nation of Portugal, fish such as sardines and mackerel, as well as tuna and octopus, have been preserved in cans. The cans did not need to be refrigerated and could be taken anywhere, even onto ships. Thus, the sardine became a symbol of Portugal, even before football was invented. The fish canning industry is one of the oldest in the country and today, once again, one of the most important.

Over time, the large sardine shoals moved from the south of the country to the north into cooler waters, and with them, the canneries, which are now mainly found between Porto and Lisbon. This includes the Briosa Gourmet cannery, located in the fishing port of Figueira da Foz, which wraps its sardines, mackerel, and tuna with gourmet recipes in beautiful paper reminiscent of Portuguese azulejos. The Porthos factory, whose brightly printed vintage cans depict a sailor from a golden age, has also been producing traditional canned fish with sardines and tuna since 1912. With good quality and special packaging, José Gourmet has also been appealing to a younger audience for over 10 years, encouraging them to enjoy canned fish.

Fortunately, sardines from Portugal have today replaced their image as "poor people's food" with a new one, thanks to the high quality awareness of Portuguese producers: the best fish with the finest olive oil – a delight for gourmets.