Cod vs Ametller Origin: Fish and Gourmet Online Comparison [2026]

Introduction: two philosophies of Catalan premium

Catalonia has an extraordinary gastronomic tradition, and its offering of premium products continues to grow. Two brands that represent this Catalan gourmet universe are Ametller Origen and Bacalalo, but their proposals could not be more different in focus and specialization.

Ametller Origen originated from the agricultural world of Penedès and has built a chain of premium food stores present in dozens of locations throughout Catalonia. Its proposal revolves around freshness, organic products, and quality prepared meals. Fish is just one category within its generalist offering.

Bacalalo, on the other hand, has been exclusively dedicated to premium seafood products since 1990 in Barcelona's Mercat del Ninot. It is a pure specialist: Icelandic cod, Cantabrian anchovies, Iranian caviar, smoked salmon, and gourmet preserves are its raison d'être.

When you're looking to buy quality fish and seafood online, understanding the differences between a premium generalist and a seafood specialist is key to making the best decision. Let's analyze both proposals with objective data.

Informative comparison based on public data. Prices and availability may vary.

Who is Ametller Origen

Ametller Origen is a family-owned Catalan company founded by the Ametller family, originally from the Penedès region, one of Catalonia's most fertile agricultural areas. What began as a farming operation has grown into a chain of premium food stores with a presence in major Catalan cities.

Its proposal is based on several pillars:

• Fresh, local produce: Fruits and vegetables from their own harvests and selected local producers. This is their star category and where their value proposition is strongest.
• Organic production: A significant part of their catalog is organic, with official certifications. Organic production is part of their DNA, not a marketing add-on.
• Prepared meals: Dishes prepared in their kitchens using quality ingredients. From salads and soups to main courses and desserts. This is one of their most distinctive categories.
• Butchery, delicatessen, and fish counter: Complete sections of fresh food, including fish and seafood.
• Artisan bakery and pastry: Sourdough breads and pastries made daily.

With more than 40 physical stores in Catalonia (Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona, Lleida) and an online store with home delivery service, Ametller Origen has positioned itself as the premium alternative to the conventional supermarket. Its natural competitors are chains like Veritas (organic) or the premium sections of El Corte Inglés, not specialized stores in a single category.

In fish and seafood, Ametller Origen offers a selection of fresh and frozen products similar to those found in a good high-end supermarket: hake, salmon, sea bass, gilthead bream, shrimp, mussels, and other standard items. It is a decent, quality offering, but it is not their main area of specialization.

Who is Bacalalo

Bacalalo was founded in 1990 in Barcelona's Mercat del Ninot, one of the city's most emblematic municipal markets. What started as a stall specializing in dried cod has become, more than 35 years later, a reference store for premium seafood products with an online presence throughout Spain.

Unlike Ametller Origen, which is a premium food generalist, Bacalalo is a vertical specialist in seafood products. Its entire catalog, experience, knowledge, and logistics are optimized for one thing: bringing the best seafood products to your table.

Its catalog is structured into specialized categories:

• Icelandic Cod: The foundational category. Loins, pil pil slices, kokotxas, flakes, and other specialized cuts, all from traditionally cured Icelandic cod (Gadus morhua).
• Cantabrian Anchovies: A curated selection of the best artisan anchovies, including the 00 caliber (the largest and most prestigious).
• Caspian Caviar: Iranian caviar of the finest varieties (Beluga, Osetra, Sevruga), with full traceability from Iran.
• Smoked Salmon: Artisan smoked salmon of different origins and preparations.
• Gourmet preserves: More than 100 references from the best Spanish and European canneries.
• Smoked products: Trout, sardines, cod, eel, and other traditionally smoked fish.
• Shellfish: Gooseneck barnacles, shrimp, prawns, and other seasonal shellfish.

The fundamental difference is this: while Ametller Origen knows a little about everything, Bacalalo knows a lot about one thing. Those 35 years of selecting cod, tasting anchovies, evaluating caviars, and negotiating with canneries translate into a selection criterion impossible for a generalist to replicate.

General comparison table

Note: Data based on public information. Catalogs and prices may vary.

Fish and seafood catalog compared

This is where the difference between a premium generalist and a specialist becomes evident. Let's compare the fish and seafood categories point by point:

Cod

Ametller Origen offers cod as just another item within its fish counter. You can find fresh seasonal cod, salted cod in standard formats, and possibly some prepared cod in their ready-meal section. The origin of the cod varies depending on supplier availability.

Bacalalo offers more than 15 references of Icelandic cod, from whole 800g loins to special pil pil slices, kokotxas, premium flakes, sirloin, and shredded cod. Each cut is designed for a specific preparation, and the product page includes desalting and cooking tips. The origin is always Iceland, without exception.

Cantabrian Anchovies

Ametller Origen may include some anchovy references in its preserves section, generally from industrial or semi-commercial brands. It is not a category of specialization.

Bacalalo offers a curated selection of Cantabrian anchovies, including its star product: the 00 Gourmet Selection Anchovies, with the largest available caliber (fillets over 9 cm). In addition, it offers salted anchovies for those who prefer the purest product and want to clean them at home.

Caviar

Ametller Origen may offer caviar on occasion (Christmas, special dates), generally from commercial brands and with a limited range of varieties.

Bacalalo offers directly imported Iranian caviar, with varieties such as Beluga, Osetra, and Sevruga. Iranian Caspian Sea caviar is considered by many experts to be the best in the world, and finding it with full traceability in a Spanish online store is unusual.

Smoked Salmon

Ametller Origen includes smoked salmon in its refrigerated section, with a selection of commercial brands that may include quality options.

Bacalalo offers artisan smoked salmon of different origins and smoking methods, selected with the criteria of 35 years of experience in seafood products. It is not commercial brand salmon, it is a curated selection.

Gourmet Preserves

Ametller Origen has a preserve aisle that may include some premium references, but it is shared with standard preserves and household products.

Bacalalo offers more than 100 references of gourmet preserves from the best Spanish canneries: sardines, bonito del norte, tuna belly, mussels, cockles, razor clams, octopus, and much more. Each reference has been personally tested and selected.

Specialties of each store

It is fair to acknowledge that each store excels in its area of specialization. Comparing Bacalalo's preserves with Ametller Origen's fruits makes no sense: these are categories where each is clearly superior.

Where Ametller Origen shines

• Local fruits and vegetables: This is their foundational category and where their offering is unrivaled in the Catalan market. Seasonal, organic produce, much of it self-grown. If you are looking for a perfect tomato or Maresme strawberries, Ametller Origen is hard to beat.
• Quality prepared meals: Their kitchen produces elaborate dishes with premium ingredients. From creams and soups to cannelloni, lasagna, and seasonal dishes. For those who don't have time to cook but want to eat well, it's an excellent proposition.
• Artisan bakery: Sourdough breads and pastries made daily in each store.
• Certified organic products: A wide catalog of organic/bio products, consistent with their philosophy of sustainable production.
• Complete shopping: You can do all your weekly shopping (fruit, vegetables, meat, bread, dairy, prepared meals) in one store.

Where Bacalalo shines

• Premium cod: 35 years of specialization in Icelandic cod. Specialized cuts, custom desalting, and expert advice that only a specialist can offer.
• Artisan anchovies: Selection in 00 caliber (the largest), salted anchovies, and a deep knowledge of the differences between origins and producers.
• Iranian caviar: Access to premium varieties from the Caspian Sea with full traceability. A product difficult to find with these guarantees outside of ultra-specialized stores.
• Author's gourmet preserves: More than 100 personally selected references, from artisan Galician canneries to Cantabrian producers.
• Depth of marine catalog: If you are looking for something specific from the sea (kokotxas, trout roe, smoked eel, tuna belly), it is almost certain that Bacalalo has it and can advise you on how to prepare it.

Product origin and quality

The issue of origin and traceability is where the differences between a generalist and a specialist become most profound.

Generalist model (Ametller Origen)

A food chain, no matter how good, works with multiple simultaneous suppliers. The fish at Ametller Origen's fish counter can come from Mercabarna, Mediterranean fish markets, or importers, depending on the season and availability. This is not bad per se, but it implies that the origin can vary from one week to the next.

Ametller Origen applies its quality standards to all its products, and its reputation is at stake with every purchase. But its expertise lies in fruits, vegetables, and organic production, not in the peculiarities of the world of salted fish, Iranian caviar, or artisan anchovies.

Specialist model (Bacalalo)

A specialist in seafood products works with stable and direct relationships with specific producers. The cod always comes from Iceland. The anchovies are always from the Cantabrian Sea. The caviar is always Iranian. There are no variations depending on the season or wholesale market price.

This consistency translates into several concrete advantages for the buyer:

1. Real traceability: You know exactly where each product comes from, always.
2. Accumulated expertise: 35 years of buying cod from Iceland generates product knowledge that cannot be improvised. Knowing how to distinguish a good batch from a mediocre one requires experience.
3. Expert advice: A specialist can tell you how many hours to desalt your piece based on its thickness, which cut to use for each recipe, or how to combine anchovies and caviar on an appetizer platter.
4. Specific negotiation power: A specialist who buys large volumes of a single category can access better prices and qualities than a generalist who buys small quantities of many categories.

Prices and value for money

Comparing prices between Ametller Origen and Bacalalo is complex because their catalogs barely overlap. Where we can make a direct comparison is in the few shared categories:

Fresh fish vs. cured fish

Ametller Origen primarily sells fresh fish: fish counter items to cook the same day. Bacalalo primarily sells cured, preserved, or smoked fish: products with a long shelf life and added value from processing.

These are different propositions. The price of fresh sea bass at Ametller Origen is not comparable to that of a cured Icelandic cod loin at Bacalalo: they are different products, processes, and gastronomic experiences.

Where comparison is possible: preserves and premium

In preserves and gourmet seafood, there is some overlap. Bacalalo's prices are consistent with the artisan premium range:

• Cod loin 800 g: €19.90 (€24.87/kg)
• 00 Gourmet Selection Anchovies: €38.90
• Pil pil slice 500 g: €13.90 (€27.80/kg)

Ametller Origen may offer fish preserves at lower prices, but they will generally be from more industrial brands or with a lower degree of craftsmanship. The price reflects the difference in product.

The concept of total value

At Ametller Origen, the value lies in the convenience of complete shopping: you can do all your weekly shopping in one quality store. At Bacalalo, the value lies in specialization and expert selection: you pay for 35 years of expertise applied to every seafood product that enters its catalog.

Both models make economic sense. It's not expensive to pay for specialization when the result on the plate is appreciably superior.

Shopping and shipping experience

Ametller Origen

Ametller Origen's strength lies in its network of physical stores. With more than 40 locations in Catalonia, you can go in, see the product, choose the items you want, and take them home instantly. The in-store experience is carefully designed: lighting, product presentation, friendly staff.

Its online store offers home delivery in selected areas of Catalonia. Coverage is not national, which limits the online option to residents in the service areas. The minimum order and shipping costs vary depending on the area and product type.

Bacalalo

Bacalalo has a physical store in Barcelona's Mercat del Ninot, where you can buy directly and receive face-to-face advice. But its online store is where the experience becomes democratized: shipping throughout peninsular Spain, with isothermal packaging for products that require it and reinforced packaging for dried cod and preserves.

Bacalalo's online store includes detailed product sheets with origin information, weight, preparation tips, and recipes. The blog offers complete guides on how to desalt cod, how to prepare a smoked fish platter, or how to preserve anchovies.

Key difference: geographical reach

If you live outside Catalonia, Bacalalo is the clear choice: it ships throughout the peninsula. Ametller Origen is primarily limited to Catalonia. If you live in Barcelona, you are lucky enough to have access to both: Ametller Origen for your fruit, vegetable, and prepared meal shopping, and Bacalalo for all premium seafood products.

Who is each store for?

Choose Ametller Origen if:

• You're looking to do a complete premium food shop in one place: fruit, vegetables, meat, bread, prepared meals, and some fish.
• You prioritize organic and local produce, especially for fruits and vegetables.
• You want quality prepared meals to simplify cooking.
• You live near an Ametller Origen store and value in-person shopping with visible products.
• You're looking for fresh fish from the fish counter to cook the same day.
• You like the concept of a premium supermarket with a varied selection and a well-maintained atmosphere.

Choose Bacalalo if:

• You're looking for premium seafood products with real specialization: Icelandic cod, Cantabrian anchovies, Iranian caviar, artisan smoked products.
• You want a deep catalog of seafood products: more than 15 cuts of cod, dozens of preserves, multiple varieties of caviar.
• You value the expertise of a specialist with 35 years of experience selecting each product.
• You need shipping to anywhere in Spain, not just Catalonia.
• You prepare traditional recipes that require specific ingredients (cured cod for pil pil, 00 caliber anchovies, kokotxas).
• You're looking for a high-end gourmet gift (cod assortment, caviar box, selection of preserves).
• You want specialized advice on desalting, preserving, or preparing seafood products.

The perfect combination for those living in Catalonia

If you live in Barcelona or an area with an Ametller Origen store, the optimal strategy is clear: Ametller Origen for general shopping (fruits, vegetables, bakery, prepared meals) and Bacalalo for all premium seafood products. They don't overlap; they complement each other perfectly. Your refrigerator will thank you.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

Ametller Origen is an exceptional premium food chain. Its offering of organic fruits and vegetables, quality prepared meals, and artisan bakery is unrivaled in the Catalan market. If you are looking for a quality supermarket for your complete weekly shopping, it is an excellent option. But it is not a seafood specialist, and its fish and seafood catalog reflects that generalist condition.

Bacalalo is the opposite: a vertical specialist with over 35 years dedicated exclusively to seafood products. Its catalog of Icelandic cod, Cantabrian anchovies, Iranian caviar, and smoked salmon has a depth and selection criteria that a generalist, however good, cannot replicate. If you are looking for premium seafood products, Bacalalo is the natural choice.

It's not about choosing one over the other in absolute terms. They are complementary proposals that respond to different needs. The important thing is to know what you are looking for and go to the right place to find it.

Related guides

• How to choose the best fish preserves
• How to assemble a perfect smoked fish platter
• Salted anchovies: complete guide
• Guide to smoked products: types and uses