Our history
Conservas Yurrita is a family-owned business founded in 1867. In its early days it produced and sold pickled and salted fish distributed from Mutriku to the rest of Spain, using horse-drawn carts as a mode of transport. The original canning factory commenced its work in the basement of the Yurrita family home. The initial Yurrita canning factory was known as Casa Mauleón. Among all the current Spanish canning companies, this is probably the oldest building dedicated to fish canning.
The company was founded by José Miguel Mauleón, at the Casa Mauleón family residence. José Miguel’s daughter, Francisca, married Agapito Yurrita, forming the second generation and the beginnings of the Yurrita family in the canning and salting industry. After five generations and a history of almost 150 years, Yurrita is the oldest canning company in the Basque Country and one of the oldest agri-food industries in operation in Spain.
With the inclusion of Alfonso Yurrita Zumalabe in the 50s Conservas Yurrita opened up to the global market. Exports were crucial for the development of the company throughout the long and complicated post-war years. The export strategy has provided the company with an extensive network of clients in over 60 countries around the world.
Today, Yurrita Group is involved in the production of a wide variety of Gourmet products. Although Anchovies and Longfinned Tuna are the flagships of the company, an extensive range of artisanal croquettes are also made and Basque cuisine dishes such as scorpion fish cake, crab and tuna or squid in its own ink cooked with onions.
Traditional Fishing
Yurrita Group uses raw materials that have been caught respecting the traditional arts of fishing, respecting the Marine Sanctuaries and sustainable fishing management. The products are handmade and handcrafted, taking great care of the selection process right through to the packaging process.
Yurrita in the world
Yurrita Group opened up to the overseas market in the 50s and exports were crucial for the development of the company during the complicated post-war years. This exporting effort has enabled the company to currently have a large network of clients throughout the world.
Our home
Our company is a small family of 100 people who have worked for generations in the canned fish industry. We are located in Mutriku (Guipúzcoa) a town with a long canning tradition always linked to the sea.