A tin of the finest French sardines preserved in sunflower oil and vadouvan spices.
La Compagnie Bretonne deals in only the very best sardines, caught off southwestern tip of Finistère in the heartland of the French Cornish fishing ports. They’re caught during the high season between June and October when the sardines are plump and flavoursome. The fish are caught in ring nets and are prepared by hand while they are fresh very early the following morning. The ‘old-fashioned’ method of frying sardines in sunflower oil allows them to improve over time, and the sunflower oil used to cover the sardines during the canning process is organic, as is the churned butter. Sardines are spiced up with vadouvan spices, which embody a mixture inspired by traditional Indian curries: cumin, turmeric, mustard seeds, fenugreek, curry leaves, coriander, ginger… All this in such a small can.
“Our ambition is to develop seafood products by using the best raw ingredients and our expertise to produce varied and balanced recipes that combine the cannery’s traditions with our creativity. We want to do this by remaining true to our values while at the same time taking a forward-looking approach to make this activity thrive and evolve in our region.”
From Sten and Maria Furic, who are following in the footsteps of their parents Joelle and Jean-François Furic, who established La Compagnie Bretonne and have inherited the precious expertise acquired over three generations.
La Compagnie Bretonne has always been about putting quality before quantity, with selective distribution methods and partners who prioritise ethics and integrity. The family company is committed to traceability: the port, the name of the boat that caught the sardines, and the fishing season are printed on the back of each tin.
These summer sardines have an unusually high fat content, which guarantees the most tender and flavoursome fish after they’ve been gently preserved. They are perfect tossed in a niçoise salad, on toast or stirred into pasta.
