Our DNA
The origin of our products, the municipality of Isla Cristina, is one of our company’s greatest assets, which is why it’s at the heart of our business culture and many of our commitments:
Commitment to the team
Our expertise sets us apart, and it’s all thanks to the local Isla Cristina tradition we’ve inherited and passed down from generation to generation.
READ MORE...The values of heritage, commitment, tradition and quality are shared by the entire USISA team and ensure the unity of the 3,000 jobs directly and indirectly linked to our activity.
We are also socially committed to Isla Cristina, running numerous programmes and initiatives to promote the employment and economic development of our municipality and its families.
Committed to local resources
At USISA, we’re committed to the product of our coasts and the techniques, experience and know-how of the local fishing fleets. All the resources we use are local.
READ MORE...We believe in a zero-kilometre policy to guarantee the use of resources from our immediate surroundings, Isla Cristina, and our Autonomous Community.
The importance of where we get our raw material
70% of our fish comes from our own coasts.
READ MORE...It’s important to stress where it comes from as our coasts are home to the highest-quality mackerel in the world, with excellent organoleptic properties that set it apart from the rest.
All fish arriving at our factory is made up of seasonal species caught at the perfect time to guarantee their survival and breeding. We promote the fishing activity of local fleets through incentives and investment.
HERITAGE
The second and third generations of our family lineage are now working in USISA, combining tradition and experience with innovation, digitalisation, and modernisation of the production process. Both generations work under a common goal: customer satisfaction. Doing so, the company has continued to grow without losing its essence or vocation, staying firmly rooted to its Isla Cristina origins and age-old traditions, and achieving international recognition throughout its almost 50 years of business.
MANUAL PRODUCTION
Our production continues to be 100% manual, faithful to the centuries-old tradition of removing the skin from our fish fillets by hand and then placing them in the tins one by one. This ensures the fish are thoroughly cleaned and keeps the fillets perfectly intact. It’s what makes it possible to achieve the outstanding quality we’re known for.
This method goes hand-in-hand with the quality of our raw material. All our fish is seasonal, with excellent nutritional values, has only 100% natural covering liquids, such as olive, sunflower or tomato oil, and is preserved in its natural state, with water and sea salt.
QUALITY
USISA quality standards have been recognised by the leading food quality labels:
The products are protected under the Regulatory Council of the Protected Geographical Indication Caballa y Melva de Andalucía (Andalusian Mackerel and Frigate Mackerel). They’re subject to strict European regulations and rigorous raw material and production process controls.
We have obtained the IFS European quality standard certification, through which we can develop new products and improve the manufacturing process.
And we’re also certified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is required to market products in the USA.
SUSTAINABILITY
We’re committed to the sustainable production of our tinned and salt-cured products to preserve the natural resources of our environment. We use the best raw material from the coasts, caught by traditional fishing fleets and processed using efficient and sustainable methods.
Thanks to this effort, we’ve been awarded the Q Sustainable Certification: a seal of sustainable development held by few other tinworks.
RESPECT FOR THE ORIGIN AND A 100% NATURAL FLAVOUR
At USISA, we know that it’s only by respecting our coasts that we’re able to offer our tasty, tinned products. It’s thanks to our traditional and natural processes that we can offer our customers a product they can trust.
Our production model supports the development of healthy lifestyles and is committed to natural produce.
