Specialty Food Magazine

items, (chocolates, turron, nougat, cookies, etc.) PDO cheese, and seafood (mollusks and octopus are the leading seafood types, but whole fish are also in the top 10), according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Imports from Spain to the U.S. totaled nearly $3.2 billion last year, more than double the $1.5 billion total in 2013, as imports have risen steadily at a compound annual rate of about 8 percent. Following is an overview of some of the most popular categories of Spanish exports that U.S. consumers enjoy. Seafood Conservas Ride a Wave of Popularity Spain's 3,000-plus miles of coastline—including the Canary Islands—provide access to some of the most abundant areas of seafood production on the planet. Seafood plays a key role in the Spanish diet, and the country's seafood products are known as among the best in the world. The country's seafood "conservas"—canned fish—industry is especially well-established, and well-respected globally. Spain has been on the leading edge of the tinned fish trend, which has taken off in both restaurants and at specialty food retailers across the U.S. amid an explosion of TikTok videos depicting people discovering these delicacies. Tinned fish sales in the U.S. increased to more than $2.7 billion in 2023, from $2.3 billion in 2018, according to a report by the Global Seafood Alliance, citing data from CPG research firm Circana. Already widely appreciated in Europe, chefs such as José Andrés have helped spur the popularity of Spanish seafood conservas in the U.S. as well. For example, Andrés has been co-branding with the Los Peperetes brand of Galician mussels for the past 10 years. "He has become our best ambassador," Jesús Lorenzo, general manager of Los Peperetes, told Food and Wines from Spain in a recent article. Other popular seafood varieties used in conservas from Spain include squid, octopus, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, tuna, clams, caviar, and more. Spanish seafood conservas producers are known for using a variety of methods to prepare their products, such as storing squid in their own ink, or using brine, vinegar, oils, and various spices for other seafood types. Seafood conservas from Spain are also known as excellent gifts and are often packaged with eye-catching labels from brands including Lago Paganini/Balea, Güeyu Mar, Olasagasti, Ar de Arte, Petra Mora, La Curiosa, Caviar Riofrío, Real Conservera Española, El Viejo Pescadora, and others. At the Spain Pavilion at the Summer Fancy Food Show attendees will be able to taste and engage with a large group of exporters of these delicacies. Award-Winning Olive Oil From Spain The Spanish landscape is blanketed with a wide range of olive varietals that produce some of the world's best olive oils, from the often fruity, green notes of the Picual olives to the bitter Cornicabra olives of central Spain and the sweet Arbequina olives that have been adopted by other olive-growing countries around the globe. Other important Spanish olive varieties include Hojiblanca, Picudo, Empeltre, Lechín, and more. In fact, more than 240 different olive varietals are grown in Spain, each of which has its own distinct flavors and aromas. Spain produces about half the world's total olive oil and is the world's leading olive oil producer and exporter. Average annual production of olive oil in Spain in recent years has been about 1.75 million tons. In recent decades, Spain has elevated the quality and expanded the diversity of its olive through scientific progress and experimentation. Growers leverage advanced farming systems, drip irrigation, integrated production, and environmentally friendly growing practices. In addition, innovative extraction technologies that are adapted to the characteristics of each olive variety and their respective degrees of ripeness results in oils that retain the flavor and aroma nuances of the original fruit. Spain has become widely known for its high-quality SPONSORED ARTICLE SUMMER 2024 51

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