Conservas Ortiz, fine canned fish from the Basque Country since 1891
Conservas Ortiz is a Basque family business from Ondarroa that has been hand-producing canned fish since 1891. Now in its fifth generation, the family catches white tuna one by one with a fishing rod and cleans every sardine by hand. Bonito del Norte, sardines, and the famous anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea, packed in nostalgic tins.
Conservas Ortiz stands for fine canned fish from the Basque Country—white tuna, sardines, and the famous Cantabrian anchovies, processed by hand since 1891. What Bernardo Ortiz de Zárate began in the fishing village of Ondarroa on the northern Spanish coast is continued today by the fifth generation of the family, at conservasortiz.com and in kitchens all over the world. The principle has remained the same for over 135 years: respect for the sea and a great deal of handiwork.
1891, a fisherman and a few barrels
Bernardo Ortiz de Zárate began preserving tuna and anchovies on the Basque coast in 1891. This idea grew into five generations and a world-renowned name.
Bernardo learned the trade from his brother-in-law. He would buy anchovies and white tuna from coastal fishermen in the ports, preserve them in escabeche and wooden barrels, and sell them the next day in the interior, reaching as far as Castile, Madrid, and Aragón.
To ensure the goods stayed fresh in a time before refrigeration, Bernardo invented mobile factories along the coast that operated wherever the fish were currently being landed. In this way, he followed the fishing seasons along the coast and made the most of every landing.
The Bonito was preserved as a semi-preserve in escabeche, and the acidity of the vinegar made it durable for the long journey into the hinterland. When Bernardo died, his wife Petra López de Aréchaga took over the business, which was from then on called "Viuda de Ortiz e hijo" (Widow of Ortiz and son). She continued to run the company with a firm hand, just as Petra saw fit, and passed on her love for the craft to their son.
In 1942, José Ortiz and his son José Antonio founded the company that would become Conservas Ortiz S.A. in 1956. The fifth generation maintains the house with the same foresight that José used back then—in the same place, with the same care.
Bonito del Norte, sardines, and anchovies
Three classics define the house of Ortiz: Bonito del Norte white tuna, sardines, and the famous anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea.
With us, you will find two centerpieces of their range. The Bonito del Norte in olive oil is lighter, more delicate premium tuna, caught individually with a fishing rod, hand-filleted, and nestled in olive oil. The sardines in olive oil are fried in oil the old-fashioned way ("a la antigua") and mature over the years like a fine wine.
Both come in the nostalgic tins with the painted labels for which Ortiz is famous. The Bonito is mild and flaky, the sardine oily and tender—two small delicacies that are enough to make you happy on their own. Anyone who has opened such a tin understands why Ortiz has been one of the great names in the Spanish art of canning for generations.
Bonito del Norte is the premier class of tuna, lighter and finer than typical net-caught tuna. Beyond tuna, the gourmet world knows Ortiz primarily for its Anchoas del Cantábrico, the Cantabrian anchovies, which mature according to the Italian "alla vera carne" method with little salt between the layers.
In addition, there is an organic line and ready-made dishes, but the heart of the brand beats for tuna, sardines, and anchovies. You can find more tuna and fine sardines from other manufacturers in our categories.
With a rod, not a net
The sea has been feeding the family for five generations.
Because the sea is their livelihood, Ortiz traditionally catches white tuna with a rod, fish by fish, without any nets. The fishermen work with the tides and give each species time to regenerate. Bonito is caught in the summer when the schools migrate, and sardines are caught between August and November, preferably at dawn when they taste their best.
Sardines are caught using a purse seine net (the "cerco"), which protects the school and prevents bycatch. This consideration requires more time and results in lower yields, but it ensures that the next generation will also be able to make their catch. On land, almost everything remains manual labor, as each fish is cleaned, filleted, and placed in the tin individually.
"Respect for tradition since 1891" is the motto the family writes above their door. Just as Bernardo began, Ortiz still works today—patiently, carefully, honestly. And you can taste it in every tin.
135 years by hand, five generations
For 135 years, the Ortiz family has been hand-producing its canned goods, now in its fifth generation. A small coastal business has become a world-renowned name.
What began on the Basque coast as a trade in salt barrels is now known to gourmets in Italy, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. At the beginning of the 20th century, Italian master salters brought their "alla vera carne" technique to Cantabria because the coast there offered the best fish—and Ortiz turned it into a world-class product. To this day, the Basque fish travels from Ondarroa to the plates of gourmets around the globe, and yet every tin remains a piece of handicraft from the Cantabrian coast.
The delightfully old-fashioned tins with their painted labels are now small collector's items in their own right. They tell of a time when care was more important than speed, and of a family that has remained true to this pace. If you place them on a shelf, you almost don't want to open them—and then you do, because the contents are even more beautiful than the packaging. At Ortiz, every tin is still filled by hand. Respect.
A small Spanish feast
From the Ortiz assortment, we particularly recommend the two classics for a relaxed evening for two.
We enjoy the Bonito del Norte pure on lukewarm white bread with good olive oil, or in a salad with white beans and red onions. We like the sardines on toasted sourdough with tomato and garlic, accompanied by a cool glass of white wine—that is how the end of the workday tastes of the sea. On warm days, both end up on the table in the garden; on cool days, on bread by the fireplace.
Together, they make for a small Spanish feast that also makes a wonderful gift. For a gift, simply place the two tins in a basket with a good olive oil and a loaf of bread; that's all it takes. And because a good tin of sardines only gets better with the years, you can safely put one away in the cupboard to mature.
Anyone who loves Spanish and Basque canned cuisine will also find Olasagasti from the Basque Country and many other canned fish products made with honest craftsmanship in our shop. Try them all—Ortiz rewards anyone who likes things uncomplicated and authentic.
