Atalanta, De Medici capitalize on tinned seafood craze

Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.A.-based wholesale import and purveying company De Medici – a subsidiary of specialty food importer Atalanta Corporation – has introduced three new tinned seafood products.

The new products from De Medici, which offers a variety of foods from Italy, Spain, France, Argentina, and the U.S., include canned small sardines in olive oil, smoked mussels, and a tinned tapas kit. 

Released in partnership with Vilagarcía de Arousa, Spain-based Conservas Portomar, the new line of offerings are Spanish imports that contain all-natural ingredients without additives or preservatives. The Spanish partner specializes in fishing and purveying its frozen fish products in the Galicia region of Spain – the area from which the new products originate.

“Eating fish, especially those containing omega-3 fatty acids, is a hallmark recommendation of the Mediterranean diet. Seafood is an excellent source of vitamin D and calcium,” Atalanta said in a release. “It’s also a sustainable protein choice – good for our bodies and the environment. Chefs and home cooks are embracing the joys of tinned fish, which are versatile and easy to transform into a restaurant-worthy spread.”

In 2022, tinned seafood sales increased by 5 percent, according to analytics firm IRI Worldwide. The new line of products is ideal within this growing space because “premium tinned fish and shellfish offer many benefits to consumers. The price point is incredibly reasonable compared to fresh fish, and being shelf-stable allows for considerable convenience,” De Medici said.

The tinned tapas kit in particular is the company’s “first multi-tinned trio” of seafood that comes in one set and includes smoked mussels, small sardines, and squid.

De Medici works in collaboration with American retailers and global culinary experts. The company’s first product was its Tuscan extra-virgin olive oil, imported to the U.S., and its offerings have grown to include pastas, condiments, spices, vinegar, seafood, coffee, and more. In 2007, the Gellert Global Group purchased De Medici and became a division of Atalanta in 2015 focusing on imported products.

The new products are intended to capitalize on the growing popularity of tinned seafood, the company said.

Photo courtesy of Atalanta Corporation