Nettuno

Anchovies and colatura di alici in the Cetara tradition

The company was founded in 1950 by Raffaele Giordano in Cetara, a village of 2,000 inhabitants with a history of hard work and poverty, when in the mid-1990s the humble anchovy and its colatura worked a miracle: it became the symbol of modern cuisine and all the taverns and restaurants in the village started using it in their dishes.

Some companies that produce canned fillets use anchovies from Albania or Greece, but in the case of Nettuno, the fish comes exclusively from the Gulf of Salerno.

Fishing takes place between 25 March, the feast of the Annunciation, and 22 July. At six o'clock in the morning they are brought to the factory, where they are placed in a large container of salt for twenty-four hours to remove all the water from the anchovies, and then the salting process begins.

A company whose products are entirely handmade, using only local raw materials: this is the only way to preserve and offer the ancient flavours of Cetara and the maritime tradition.

Today the company is run by the founder's sons, Vincenzo and Giulio Giordano, who continue the family tradition with passion.

Giulio organises courses in the preparation of colatura di alici (anchovy sauce), in order to continue this local tradition that distinguishes him from many other industrial companies.