ARROYABE - Canned fish

What ARROYABE - Canned fish does

Arroyabe is a family-owned canned fish producer headquartered in Bermeo (Bizkaia), Spain, founded in 1898 by Rufino Arroyabe and operating under the legal entity Conservas La Gaviota, S.L. The company's core production technology is a three-phase artisanal canning process for Bonito del Norte (white tuna), Atún Claro (yellowfin tuna), and Anchoas del Cantábrico (Cantabrian anchovies): (1) reception and storage of fresh fish, (2) cutting and cooking with a precise water-and-brine mixture, and (3) manual cleaning, deboning, packing, and sterilization, with products offered in cans and glass jars across multiple coverage liquids (olive oil, sunflower oil, escabeche, natural, low-salt, ecological). The current Bermeo plant was built in 1996 and holds IFS International Food Standard certification, MSC chain-of-custody certification (Bonito since 2012, anchovies since 2019), and Dolphin Safe certification across the product range.

The company monetizes through direct product sales via owned retail stores, e-commerce on arroyabe.es, wholesale distribution to supermarkets and gourmet channels (Eroski named), and direct HoReCa supply, with gift boxes priced €22–€80 and a Club Arroyabe loyalty program offering a €10 welcome bonus and 2% perpetual discount. Customer segments span individual consumers (primary), the hospitality sector (primary), and wholesale distributors (secondary), with no disclosed enterprise anchor contracts.

Distribution combines six retail touchpoints across the Basque Country (one own store in Bermeo and five Güreik-group Gurepoke stores in Bilbao, Durango, Eibar, Gernika, and Vitoria-Gasteiz), national and international wholesale distributor recruitment, and active participation in industry events and ANFACO-CECOPESCA sector advocacy. Marketing leans on the company's heritage narrative, sustainable fishing certifications, content marketing (recipes, blog), and organic social media across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. In 2026, Arroyabe is executing a FEMPA-co-financed innovation and sustainability upgrade at its Bermeo plant, signaling non-dilutive capital deployment to expand productive capacity.

Name

ARROYABE - Canned fish

Legal name

Conservas La Gaviota, S.L.

Website

https://arroyabe.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arroyabe is a family-owned Basque canned fish producer (founded 1898) specializing in premium Bonito del Norte, yellowfin tuna, and Cantabrian anchovies from its Bermeo plant. It serves individual consumers, HoReCa, and wholesale distributors via six retail stores, e-commerce, and traditional supermarket channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Canned Seafood

NAICS

Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (3117), Fish and Seafood Retailers (445250)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Canned Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing (AFAKACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Canned & Shelf-Stable Seafood (Tuna, Sardines, Salmon, Retort Pouches) (AFANALAG), Shelf-Stable/Retort Prepared Meat & Seafood Meals (AFANAFAE), Seafood Markets & Fishmongers (CRAHAHAC)

Keywords

• Canned seafood
• Canned tuna
• Cantabrian anchovies
• Preserved fish
• Smoked fish

Headquarters

HQ city

Bermeo, Bizkaia

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Canned Fish Product Sales: Arroyabe generates revenue primarily through the direct sale of canned fish products including Bonito del Norte, Clear Tuna, and Anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea. Products are sold in various formats (cans, glass jars) with different coverage liquids (olive oil, vegetable oil, escabeche, natural). Sales are made through owned physical stores, e-commerce platform, and wholesale distribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Arroyabe is a family-owned artisanal producer of premium canned seafood based in Bermeo (Bizkaia), Spain, specializing in Bonito del Norte (white tuna from the Cantabrian Sea), Atún Claro (yellowfin tuna), and Anchoas del Cantábrico, processed through manual selection, cleaning, deboning, packing, and sterilization. Products are offered in cans and glass jars with coverage liquids (olive oil, sunflower oil, escabeche, natural) and include specialty seafood, smoked fish, and curated gourmet gift boxes, sold direct-to-consumer and through wholesale/HoReCa channels.

Product overview

Arroyabe is a traditional Basque canned fish producer offering a focused portfolio centered on premium canned seafood products. The core offerings include Bonito del Norte (white tuna from the Cantabrian Sea), Atún Claro (yellowfin tuna), and Anchoas del Cantábrico (Cantabrian anchovies), available in various formats (cans and glass jars) with different preparations (olive oil, sunflower oil, escabeche, natural, low-salt, ecological). Supporting products include specialty seafood items (mussels, cockles, sardines, marinated anchovies), smoked fish, and gourmet gift boxes. The company also operates a loyalty program (Club Arroyabe) and maintains physical retail stores alongside their e-commerce platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bonito del Norte en conserva

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ANFACO-CECOPESCAminorOthersArroyabe is an associated entity of ANFACO-CECOPESCA (Asociación Nacional de Fabricantes de Conservas de Pescados y Mariscos – National Association of Fish Canning Manufacturers and Seafood). ANFACO-CECOPESCA defends the interests of its members and develops high-value solutions for business competitiveness in the fishing and seafood processing industry.
• Güreik GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArroyabe is part of the Güreik group, a conglomerate of Basque gastronomic brands sharing values of quality, proximity, health, sustainability, and culinary innovation. Through this partnership, Arroyabe products are sold in Gürepoke stores in Bilbao, Durango, Eibar, Gernika, and Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Grupo Calvo: One of Spain's largest canned tuna and seafood manufacturers with broad portfolio and international presence — a broader incumbent operating at much greater scale in the same category.
• Isabel (Garavilla): Spanish mass-market canned tuna and seafood brand, part of Garavilla group; competes with Arroyabe in the broader canned fish category though positioned more on value than premium.
• Thai Union Group: Global seafood conglomerate (owner of Chicken of the Sea, John West) — broad incumbent in canned tuna at massive scale, providing the category ceiling Arroyabe competes within.

Regional players

• King Oscar: Premium Norwegian canned seafood brand specializing in brisling sardines and tuna — comparable in artisanal premium positioning and gifting focus but serving primarily US/Northern European markets.
• Cento: Italian-origin canned seafood brand offering tuna and anchovies — comparable product mix and Mediterranean sourcing, serving primarily North American specialty retail.

Direct peers

• Conservas Ortiz: Heritage Spanish canned tuna and anchovy producer founded in Ondarroa (also Basque Country), with overlapping Bonito del Norte, anchovy, and ventresca product lines and similar supermarket and gourmet distribution.
• Conservas Olasagasti: Basque premium canned fish brand focusing on Bonito del Norte and Cantabrian anchovies with artisanal positioning — direct competitor in the same geography and product category.
• Frinsa: Spanish canned tuna and seafood producer with national and international distribution across retail and food service — a larger direct competitor in canned bonito and tuna.
• Jealsa - Conservas Cambados: Spanish canned fish group with brands including Real Conservera Española; competes directly with Arroyabe in canned tuna, sardines, and shellfish categories at retail.

Others

• ANFACO-CECOPESCA: Spanish National Association of Fish Canning Manufacturers — industry body that Arroyabe is an associated member of; adjacent ecosystem participant representing collective category interests and R&D services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/arroyabebermeo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUa8JB_89VMcVZM7T53eGLw
• Facebookfacebook.com/arroyabebermeo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arroyabe
• Instagraminstagram.com/arroyabebermeo

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 ARROYABE - Canned fish