Millennials Tried To Kill It, But Tinned Fish Is Making a Comeback
Sardines in a can may not have cachet in the U.S., but around the world they are considered an exotic, even luxurious, option.
Fish in a can from around the world. 1. Norway: King Oscar cod liver 2. Italy: Agostino Recca anchovy fillets 3. China: Yu Jia Xiang yellow croaker fish in black bean sauce 4. Taiwan: Tong Yeng mackerel in chile-tomato sauce 5. Latvia: Stella Maris mackerel in oil 6. Portugal: Bela lightly smoked sardines in tomato sauce 7. Thailand: Nissui Iwashi sardines in soybean paste 8. Spain: Jose Serrats white albacore tuna in olive oil 9. Poland: Bumble Bee sardines 10. Iceland: Threeline Imports kosher cod liver 11. Japan: ICC baked and seasoned saury 12. France: J Hénaff Fils sardines 13. Korea: Dongwon hot pepper tuna 14. Ukraine: Maxfood Plus Baltic sprats in tomato sauce.
Photographer: Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh for Bloomberg Businessweek
Of all the things millennials have killed over the years, the slow death of seafood in a can may have provoked the least amount of hand-wringing. When a 2016 U.S. Department of Agriculture report noted that tinned-tuna sales had fallen 42 percent over the previous three decades, most people seemed to agree it was for the best.
But while these preserved foods might be having a tough time in the U.S., the category is gaining traction elsewhere. The global market for canned fish is expected to reach $36.7 billion by 2021, up from $29.75 billion in 2016, according to Supermarket News. Versions from Portugal and Spain, France, and other Mediterranean countries are prized as much for their locally caught fish—notably anchovies, sardines, and tuna—as for their colorful, collectible tins. Other European staples include firm chunks of mackerel from Latvia; roasted sprats from Ukraine; and cod liver from Norway, which often comes labeled “by special royal permission of King Oscar.”