Sardines
Ortiz
Ortiz is a Basque family conserva house founded in 1891 in Ondarroa, prized for anchovies and premium sardines and bonito, and still owned by the founding Ortiz family five generations on.
Hand-packed a la antigua, one fish at a time; traditional pesca de cerco (seine) fishing in the Aug–Nov season.
At a glance
| Country | Spain |
|---|---|
| Region | Cantabrian coast |
| City | Ondarroa |
| Founded | 1891 Founded 1891 in Ondarroa, Vizcaya, by Bernardo Ortiz de Zárate; incorporated as a limited company in 1942 under José Ortiz and his son José Antonio, and formally became Conservas Ortiz, S.A. in 1956. |
| Company | Family-owned (Ortiz family, now the 5th generation) |
| Price | $$$ — premium |
| Species | Sardina pilchardus (European pilchard) — the EU-reserved name for a true sardine |
Notable facts
- Founded 1891 in Ondarroa, Vizcaya, by Bernardo Ortiz de Zárate, who began producing bonito del norte (white tuna) in escabeche; formally incorporated as Conservas Ortiz, S.A. in 1956.
- Still independently family-owned, now run by the fifth generation.
- Cures anchovies traditionally in salt; sardines are hand-packed olive oil, also offered organic/ecological and as spiced "Sardinas Picantonas."
- Sardinas Picantonas are packed with a tomato-cayenne sauce (gherkin, carrot, pepper, onion) in a 190g jar.
- No dedicated press/media kit page was found on conservasortiz.com; the site links only to standard social-media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X).
- Ireland's Food Safety Authority recalled one batch (73175G) of Ortiz's 190g sardines-in-olive-oil jars in June 2026 over possible glass fragments; the wider sardine range was unaffected.
Origin
Conservas Ortiz was founded in 1891 in the Basque fishing port of Ondarroa by Bernardo Ortiz de Zárate, who began by curing bonito del norte in escabeche. The company was incorporated in 1942 under his descendants José and José Antonio Ortiz, formally becoming Conservas Ortiz, S.A. in 1956, and remains independently owned by the Ortiz family — now in its fifth generation — rather than part of a larger conglomerate.
Its sardine range keeps the same hand-packed, traditional ("a la antigua") approach the company built its reputation on: a plain olive-oil tin, an organic/ecological olive-oil version, and Sardinas Picantonas, sardines in a tomato-and-cayenne sauce with gherkin, carrot, pepper, and onion, sold in a 190g jar.
Products
Sardinas en Aceite de Oliva "a la Antigua"
Hand-packed the traditional way.
Where to buySardinas en Aceite Ecológico
Sardinas Picantonas
Sources
Compiled from public reporting and the brand's own materials.
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