The canning industry

Vigo is famous for its canning industry. The first big boom in our industrial history was when, in the late 18th century, Catalonian entrepreneurs began to settle in the city attracted by a star product, the sardine. They started Vigo’s powerful canning industry in the 19th century, and thanks to surnames like Curbera, Albo, Molíns, Sensat, Alfageme, Portanet or Barreras, there is a part of Vigo in every supermarket in the world.

In 1904, Vigo’s Union of Canned Food Manufacturers was created, which is now the ANFACO, the National Association of Canned Fish and Seafood Manufacturers, based in Vigo.

You can discover this part of our history by taking a tour of Vigo’s Old Town, one of the most beautiful urban areas in Vigo. This is where the canning entrepreneurs built their homes, and you can find out how the industry has evolved since then by visiting the Anfaco Canning Museum.