About the cannery
Zallo cannery was founded in 1926 and is located in Bermeo in the Basque Country. It is committed to working with local fishing fleets that fish sustainably. Zallo sources anchovies and tuna that are fished seasonally and to quota.
The Bonito del Norte or albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) is pole-and-line caught over summer when it swims close to the Cantabrian coast. Pole and line fishing, where one tuna is caught at a time, ensures there is no by-catch, sea bed damage or damage to the fish as there can be when the tuna is netted.
Zallo Cantabrian anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) are caught between March and June when they reach the Cantabrian Sea on their migratory journey. They are fatty at this point because they are preparing to spawn over summer. This helps the salt penetrate the flesh more effectively during the curing process. The anchovies are also lean because the sea is rough and choppy meaning they need to be strong swimmers, another factor which helps with the curing process. The quality of the Cantabrian anchovy is so good it is the reason why Italian settlers came to the region and the canning industry grew up here.
Catching the anchovies and white tuna seasonally for a limited amount of time means the anchovies are not only at their best but that they are not overfished. The best of the catches are chosen by Zallo at the morning fish markets, meaning the raw materials Zallo uses are top notch. Zallo then cans the fish by hand which means more quality control. The fish is complemented with high quality olive oil, sunflower oil, escabeche and sauces. Zallo’s commitment to sustainability is wide ranging, from the way the fish is caught to the way it is packaged.
Zallo is a strong advocate of the health benefits of its products. Tuna is a high-protein, low-fat food. It contains omega-3 for heart health, selenium for boosting immunity, and Vitamin B12 to fight anaemia. Anchovies are full of tissue-repairing, muscle-building protein, and omega-3 fatty acids too. They’re a good source of B vitamins niacin, riboflavin and vitamin B12 (which help promote brain, eye and skin health). Anchovies also contain iron to fight fatigue and protect against anaemia, calcium for strong bones and teeth and zinc for immunity, metabolism, digestion and skin health.
The Zallo tuna range is extensive. Choose between solid-packed white tuna that breaks into big flakes in olive oil, salsa Catalana and escabeche, fillets in jars with Espelette pepper, olive oil, salsa Catalana, and wakame seaweed and teriyaki. And albacore tuna belly or ventresca, the prized, silken-textured cut of the fish. Zallo's Cantabrian anchovies come in a range of sizes, including larger, premium fillets.
Serving tips
•Enrich sauces. Zallo anchovy fillets can be melted into sauces and stews to amp up flavours.
•A classic way to eat anchovy fillets is on toast with unsalted butter.
•Top a potato salad with the Zallo tuna with escabeche or salsa Catalana as the acidic sauce cuts through the fatty mayonnaise.
•The ventresca is delicious on bread with slices of ripe tomato and a drizzle of olive oil.
