Founded in 1942, Comur – Canned fish factory of Murtosa, experienced the peak of the Portuguese canning industry during World War II and declined decades later, falling into the trap of a low-price policy. Of the approximately 400 canning factories in Portugal in the 1960s, only 14 remain today.

When it became part of The Value of Time Group in 2015, Comur was consolidated as a production hub. We created the brand The Fantastic World of the Portuguese Sardine with a strategy to elevate the value of canned fish, making economically viable a story whose end once seemed inevitable. In doing so, we safeguarded the livelihoods of a hundred women from a small community whose families depended on their income, and transformed the art of manually preparing fish – a process unchanged since 1942 – into a defining symbol of our authenticity. Today, we pay these skilled artisans well above industry standards, in direct recognition of their expertise and the true value of handcrafted work.

As part of strengthening our connection with those at the source, a protocol was signed with Propeixe – Cooperative of Fish Producers of the North, C.R.L., to ensure the supply of sardines at a fair price throughout the season, avoiding seasonal price drops and diversion to fishmeal production, stabilising sales and securing income for fishermen. At the same time, production follows a niche, high-value-added model, resistant to overfishing pressure, ensuring controlled use of marine resources and maintaining ecosystem balance. Sardine supply is MSC-certified, guaranteeing sustainable origin and the reliability of the fishing sources used.