FOCUS on Sardine Season

“At la belle-iloise, it's Lady Sardine who decides!” This original refrain by Georges Hilliet, our founder, has always set the pace for the seasons at the Cannery: here, sardines are a precious resource that we must adapt to, depending on the winds and tides!

To celebrate the end of the Sardine Season which started last May and to thank all our teams, especially our seasonal workers, we invite you to take a tour of our traditional Workshop. From the very first step of receiving the sardines from our partner fishermen to the final canning of our delicious and beautiful tins, discover the daily life of those who craft our exceptional cans of sardines!

Group photo of the traditional Workshop teams before the lunch break!

Arrival of freshly caught sardines in the factory yard: Catherine Dendelé, Production Manager, and our partner fisherman from the Marisis boat (Quiberon).

Jonathan transports the sardine bins on the delivery dock

On the dock, Catherine inspects the quality of the sardines to adjust the production schedule: checking freshness index, shape, and fat content

“When the sardine arrives, you have to decide which recipe to use it for. Some require a more or less fatty sardine, and you have to be able to change your plans to adapt to the specific qualities of the fish.”
Catherine Dendelé, Production Manager

Jérôme and Clément put the sardines into trays for the brining step

You can see the freshness of sardines in the quality of the gills, eyes, and the shine of their scales!

Placed on a cart, the bins are taken by Clément for brining

Yann handles the brining: the sardines are soaked in salted water whose concentration is adjusted for each batch to best bring out their flavour!

A look into the gutting line: the fish are carefully prepared by hand before cooking

With a single, specific movement, Sylvette trims and removes the viscera from the sardine before arranging it on the rack

Martial arranges the gutted and previously washed sardine racks on the cart. They are specially tilted to remove excess moisture before cooking!

Julien, permanent Line Operator in charge of cooking, rolls the cart into the dryer

Brett gets ready to plunge the sardines into the fryer...

Once cooked, the sardines rest for several hours to drain and wait until the next day before being canned!

Anwar feeds the canning line with racks of sardines cooked the day before

Working carefully and with a smile! Lolita, Véronique, and Nicole are busy canning: the sardines' tails and collars are clipped with scissors, then they are packed into cans one by one, by hand.

Anne-Claire, Line Operator, coordinates the canning side: she ensures the care given to the visual and aesthetic balance of the cans, as well as the good spirit among everyone!

“The operators at la belle-iloise take pride in what they do, and take ownership of their cans. In addition to a healthy and safe product, customers know that when they open a la belle-iloise can they’ll find something beautiful and appetizing!””
Catherine Dendelé, Production Manager

Garnishing: Eric and Nathalie arrange the recipe ingredients by hand: spices, herbs, aromatics, or in this case, slices of fresh lemon!

Oiling: the sardines are covered with extra virgin olive oil, which will confit and mellow the flavors until the can is opened!

Sealing: the tins are closed with a lid, a crucial step in ensuring that the preserve is airtight and thus guaranteeing the food safety of the product.

Gabriel adjusts the autoclave settings according to the recipe for canning: a heat treatment above 100°C to keep the sardines preserved until the can is opened!

After canning, the sardine cans are ready to be assembled into assortments or gift boxes and put up for sale!

Making the most of the water jet to clean the uniform!

Congratulations to everyone for a successful Sardine Season 2025! Six months marked by careful work depending on the arrival of sardines and the whims of the winds and tides... Attention to quality, the commitment to doing things well, and good humor have once again defined this season, while continuing our artisanal know-how handed down since 1932 from generation to generation... Thank you, and see you in 2026!

Photo credit: Joséphine Lefebvre https://josephine-lefebvre.fr/