What Atunec does

Atunec, legally Atunes y Enlatados del Caribe S.A., is a Colombian tuna processing and canning company headquartered in the Zona Franca industrial area of Barranquilla, Atlántico. Founded in 1998 (per company history) with operating history extending over twenty years, the company exploits, processes, and commercializes tuna and derivatives for both the Colombian domestic market and international export channels. Its core technology is conventional tuna processing and canning, with a product portfolio split between specialty flavored retail SKUs (Atunec Especialidades — loins with mushrooms, jalapeño, vegetables, lemon, olive oil, and smoked variants in 170g packaging) and institutional bulk formats (loins in oil and water at 185g and 1880g sizes). The company holds HACCP, Dolphin Safe, and BASC certifications, supporting access to international buyers requiring documented food-safety and responsible-sourcing standards.

The company operates a B2B go-to-market built on enterprise field sales for international wholesale buyers, led by an International Commercial Director (Miguel Rosales Garcia) who represents the firm at industry events such as the Americas Tuna Conference. Revenue mechanics are anchored in direct sales of canned tuna products through export channels enabled by Colombia's free trade agreements with the EU and US, alongside domestic distribution. The company's strategic positioning is heavily export-oriented, with management publicly stating expectations to triple export revenue following the 2020 US market opening for Colombian yellowfin tuna and the reduction of export tariffs. Atunec is privately held, one of only three tuna processing firms in Colombia, and recognized with the 2019 'Mérito al Comercio Internacional' award from Universidad Simón Bolívar.

Name

Atunec

Legal name

Atunes y Enlatados del Caribe S.A.

Website

https://atunec.com.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Atunec is a Colombian tuna processor and canner based in Barranquilla's Zona Franca, producing specialty and institutional canned tuna SKUs for domestic and international B2B wholesale buyers across the EU and US markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Canned Tuna Processing

NAICS

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (311710)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Marinated & Seasoned Seafood (Value-Added Raw/Par-Cooked) (AFANALAE)

Keywords

• Canned tuna processing
• Tuna product manufacturing
• Seafood processing
• Fish canning
• Tuna commercialization

Headquarters

HQ city

Barranquilla

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuna Product Sales: Atunec generates revenue through the exploitation, processing, and commercialization of tuna and derivatives. The company sells canned tuna products in various formats (oil, water, specialty flavors) to national and international markets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Atunec exploits, processes, and commercializes tuna and its derivatives from its processing facility in the Zona Franca free trade zone of Barranquilla, Colombia. The company produces canned tuna loins in oil and water, plus specialty flavored varieties (mushroom, jalapeño, vegetable, lemon, olive oil, smoked), packaged in consumer 170g formats and institutional 185g and 1880g bulk formats. Products are sold under the Atunec brand to domestic Colombian buyers and exported to international markets in the US and EU under free trade agreements.

Product overview

Atunec is a Colombian tuna processing company that offers a portfolio of canned tuna products. The product line consists of specialty flavored varieties (Lomos con Champiñones, Lomos con Jalapeño, Lomos con Vegetales, Lomos en Aceite con Limon, Lomos en Aceite de Oliva, and Lomos Ahumados) primarily in 170g packaging, and institutional bulk products (Lomos en Aceite and Lomos en Agua) available in 185g and 1880g sizes. The company processes and commercializes tuna and its derivatives with over twenty years of experience in the national and international market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Atunec Especialidades: Premium tuna products including Lomos con Champiñones, Lomos con Jalapeño, Lomos con Vegetales, Lomos en Aceite con Limon, Lomos en Aceite de oliva, and Lomos ahumados (170g packaging).

Products and services

• Atunec Lomos con Champiñones 170g (Tuna Loins with Mushrooms)

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AAEA (Asociación Americana de Empresas del Atún)minorOthersAtunec is affiliated with AAEA (American Tuna Companies Association), indicating membership in the broader tuna industry association for the Americas.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• StarKist (Dongwon Industries): Canned tuna market leader in the US, owned by Korean seafood giant Dongwon — directly overlapping product type and US distribution.
• Nippon Suisan (Nissui): Japanese seafood giant with global tuna canning operations — broader incumbent with overlapping canned and processed tuna exposure.
• Thai Union Group: Global canned tuna leader (Chicken of the Sea, Genova, John West) — directly comparable business model of value-added processed tuna exports, vastly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Grupo Calvo: European canned tuna and seafood producer (Spain) with similar vertical integration and EU retail accounts — directly comparable in market and product mix.
• Jealsa (Rianxeira): Spanish canned tuna and seafood manufacturer with its own fleet and global B2B export model — closely comparable operations and customer profile.
• Frinsa: Spanish vertically integrated tuna canner with private label and branded offerings for EU/US retail — comparable scale, format, and certifications.
• Conservas Garavilla: Spanish canned tuna producer (Brisol, Isabel brands) with overlapping product formats and EU/US distribution — direct competitor in value-added canned tuna.
• Bumble Bee Foods: Major US-based canned tuna company with comparable product portfolio (tuna in oil, water, flavored) targeting retail and institutional buyers — directly competes in Atunec's target US market.

Regional players

• Tropical Commercio (Tropical Products): Latin American seafood processor (tuna, mackerel, sardines) with similar export-oriented canned seafood model — regional comparable.
• Centrosa / Maresmar: One of Colombia's other tuna processors and Atunec's principal domestic competitor — directly comparable Colombian canned tuna peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/atunec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atunec-s.a.

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Atunec