Sardines
José Gourmet
José Gourmet is a Lisbon-based boutique tinned-fish brand, founded 2008, known for artist-illustrated labels and sardines packed with small-scale Portuguese fishermen and canneries.
At a glance
| Country | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Region | Lisbon |
| City | Lisbon |
| Founded | 2008 Founding year and founders (Adriano Ribeiro and Luís Mendonça) are sourced to a single strong source (Monocle); no independent second source found corroborating the exact date, so this remains unverified per our sourcing standard. |
| Company | Independent boutique producer (100 Mistérios, Lda.) |
| Price | $$$ |
Notable facts
- Labels are illustrated by roughly 90 different Portuguese artists across its product range.
- Sometimes described as 'Portugal's smallest cannery,' but that specific superlative appears only in one retailer's marketing copy and is not independently confirmed.
- Works with small-scale Portuguese fishermen and canneries rather than operating a single dedicated factory.
Origin
José Gourmet was founded in Lisbon in 2008 by Adriano Ribeiro and Luís Mendonça, reimagining Portugal's tinned-fish tradition as a design-forward gourmet product. Rather than running one dedicated cannery, the brand works with small-scale Portuguese fishermen and canneries to pack its range.
Its most visible signature is packaging: labels illustrated by roughly 90 different Portuguese artists, turning each tin into a small, collectible piece of art. The sardine range spans full-size and "petingas" (young sardine) formats across oil, tomato, butter, and smoked preparations.
Products
Petingas in Brava Sauce
'Petingas' are young/small sardines, a distinct product line from the full-size sardine tins.
Where to buyPetingas Smoked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cold-smoked young sardines.
Where to buySmoked Sardine in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cold-smoked, full-size single-fish format.
Where to buySardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Organic variant noted on the brand's site.
Where to buy