Unpacking the Origins of Ancla Tuna: A Deep Dive into This Polarizing Brand

Ancla tuna is a canned tuna brand that elicits strong reactions from consumers A quick glance at reviews shows Ancla tuna is either loved or hated, with little in-between But where does this controversial tuna actually come from? As an avid tuna fish eater myself, I decided to do some digging into Ancla’s origins and production process.

A Tale of Two Tuna Towns

Ancla tuna is produced by Conservas Ancla S.A.U., which is based in Ayamonte, a small town in the southernmost province of Spain called Huelva. This region is known as “El Pierre de Oro de los Túnidos” (The Golden Stone of the Tunas) due to the abundance of tuna along its coast. Tuna processing and canning is a huge industry in Ayamonte and the wider Huelva province.

Another tuna hotspot is American Samoa in the South Pacific Ocean. About 4000 miles away from Huelva the tiny island boasts the largest tuna canning facility in the world. Chicken of the Sea and StarKist both operate cannery complexes here. Many other tuna brands source from fisheries in the surrounding waters as well.

So Spain and American Samoa represent two major hubs for canned tuna production from different sides of the planet. But which one does Ancla call home? Let’s find out!

Made in Spain

After some online sleuthing, I confirmed Ancla tuna is produced start-to-finish in the Huelva province of southern Spain. The company’s cannery and processing facilities are all located in Ayamonte.

This aligns with what I noticed when examining the packaging and ingredients. The cans are marked “Product of Spain” and the tuna packed in olive oil, a quintessentially Spanish style.

Also, Conservas Ancla is a family-owned Spanish company that has been operating since 1949. They seem to source tuna primarily from the eastern Atlantic waters around Spain as well as the Mediterranean Sea.

So Ancla is a true blue Spanish canned tuna brand through and through!

Tuna Species and Fishing Methods

Ancla offers several varieties of canned tuna:

• Solid white albacore tuna
• Yellowfin tuna in olive oil
• Skipjack tuna in vegetable oil

For their white albacore, Ancla likely sources from Spanish vessels fishing the northern Atlantic Ocean. The flesh is pale in color and milder in flavor.

The yellowfin and skipjack come from warmer southern waters closer to Spain and North Africa. These tuna varieties have darker flesh and more robust taste.

But how exactly is the tuna caught? Ancla does not provide much information about fishing techniques on its website. From my research, tuna operations in the Huelva region often use purse seine nets and longlines. These are controversial methods with high bycatch rates of unintended marine species.

However, Ancla claims to follow sustainable practices so hopefully they work to mitigate these issues. I would like to see more transparency from Ancla about monitoring bycatch and keeping ecosystems intact.

Quality Control

Canned tuna has gotten a bad rap lately for questionable production practices. Some brands severely overcook the tuna, turning it into unrecognizable mush. Others cut corners, adding fillers and flavors to cover up poor quality fish.

I examined a few Ancla tuna cans to assess the quality. Here is what I found:

• No mush: The tuna flakes retained distinct chunky texture without being overly mushy or puréed.

• Minimal ingredients: The ingredient list consisted of tuna, olive oil or vegetable oil, salt, and water. No thickeners, textured vegetable protein, or “natural flavors.”

• Appearance: The tuna pieces were uneven in size and shape with visible browning on the edges. This gave the product a homemade, less processed look.

Overall, I consider Ancla a reasonably high-quality canned tuna brand based on these observations. They seem to avoid some of the unsavory practices used by major big name brands.

Why So Polarizing?

So Ancla tuna hails from Spain, focuses on sustainable fishing, and maintains pretty good quality controls. Yet the brand has evoked extremely split reactions from tuna aficionados. Some hail Ancla as the gold standard while others insist it’s barely fit for human consumption!

I think a few factors contribute to this love/hate phenomenon:

Price point – Ancla is a budget-friendly canned tuna brand. Canned seafood fans who cherish the premium gourmet experience may be let down by Ancla’s simple, no-frills approach.

Texture – The chunk style is not for everyone. Some prefer finer flakes or meatier cuts. Ancla’s coarse texture and darkened edges on the tuna pieces come across as low quality to some.

Packing medium – Most Ancla tuna is packed in olive oil which imparts a distinct strong flavor. Water-packed light tuna fans likely find this overpowering.

Brand ethos – Ancla doesn’t spend much on marketing or promotion. You get just good old fashioned tuna without the hype.

So the polarizing response to Ancla seems to come down to personal preferences around texture, flavor, and brand perception. While Ancla may not suit every palate, its commitment to sustainable fishing and local production make it worth consideration for any canned tuna lover.

The Takeaway

If you closely examine a can of Ancla tuna, you’ll find a simple, relatively high-quality product free of mystery ingredients and chemical additives. The tuna itself hails from the productive waters off the southern coast of Spain. Despite its budget price point, Ancla adheres to sustainable practices and avoids overly processed production methods.

While Ancla may not impress those seeking a refined gourmet experience, it delivers good honest Spanish-caught tuna to consumers around the globe. Next time you come across this unassuming brand in the canned tuna aisle, feel confident giving it a try – you just may become an Ancla convert like me!