For restaurants and HoReCa, key formats are 1 kg, 1.8 kg, and 1.85 kg (vs. individual 100-260 g cans for retail). They reduce waste, optimize plating, and allow for 3-4x margins. Professional brands: Olasagasti, Ortiz, Baymar. Typical lead times: 48-72 h with stock; 5-7 days for large orders. Request access to the professional area for pricing and packs.
🍽️ Restaurant, hotel, or catering? Bacalalo has been working with HoReCa professionals since 1990. Request access to wholesale prices →
Tuna purchasing for HoReCa: key factors
If you manage a restaurant, hotel, catering service, or gourmet store, purchasing canned tuna follows a different logic than for the end consumer. Here are the key points:
- Large formats: 1 kg, 1.8 kg, or 1.85 kg in cans. Less waste, better cost per serving.
- Specific cuts: whole loins for plating, fillets for tartar/tataki, belly for premium dishes.
- Traceability and certification: requires complete labeling (lot, catch area, scientific species). Essential for HACCP inspections.
- Refrigerated/dry logistics: canned tuna does not require refrigeration, but belly and fresh tuna do.
- Lead times: 48-72 h with available stock; 5-7 days for large orders or less frequently rotated items.
- Wholesale prices: volume discounts starting from 6-12 units of the same format. Typical professional margin 30-45% over retail price.
Most commonly used professional formats
Most commonly used professional formats in HoReCa:
- 1 kg light tuna loin in olive oil: the classic for Russian salad, other salads, and tapas. Cost per serving (50 g): €0.70-€1.10.
- 1 kg light tuna belly: for premium dishes (platters, warm salads, salmorejos). Cost per serving (40 g): €1.20-€1.80.
- 1.85 kg Northern albacore loin/fillets: the premium option for menus where albacore is identified by species. Cost per serving (50 g): €1.40-€2.20.
- 1.85 kg light tuna fillets in vegetable oil: for high volumes in catering, medium-to-high-end school canteens, hotels.
- Individual 260-270 g can: for high-end portions/tapas served in their own can (an "authentic" format). Costs €8-€12/can, monetized at €14-€18 at the table.
- Mojama and roe (in professional formats): for premium platters and salads. Very high margin.
Profitability table by format
Comparative table of formats and estimated profitabilities (indicative prices 2026, typical restaurant sector margins):
| Format | Approximate cost | Servings / Retail Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg light tuna loin | ~€18-25 cost | 15-20 servings (50 g) → €4-6/serving |
| 1 kg light tuna belly | ~€30-40 cost | 20-25 servings (40 g) → €6-9/serving |
| 1.85 kg Northern albacore fillets | ~€55-75 cost | 30-37 servings (50 g) → €5-8/serving |
| Individual 270 g canned tuna | ~€10-15 cost | Serve in can → €14-22 |
| 1.8 kg whole tuna mojama | ~€140-180 cost | 60-90 servings (20-30 g) → €4-7/serving |
| 200 g tuna roe | ~€25-40 cost | 5-7 servings (30 g) → €6-10/serving |
What a good HoReCa supplier should offer
What a valid HoReCa tuna supplier needs to offer:
- Full traceability: scientific species (Thunnus albacares, Thunnus alalunga, Katsuwonus pelamis...), FAO catch area, method (rod-and-line, almadraba, longline), lot, and date.
- Certifications: own HACCP, ISO 22000 or BRC at the packaging plant, MSC/FOS if working with clients who value sustainability.
- Legal documentation: technical data sheet, allergen sheet (tuna = fish, mandatory allergen declaration), nutritional declaration.
- Real stock and availability: ability to deliver within 48-72 h for repeated orders.
- Wholesale pricing plan: by volume tiers (6, 12, 24 units) and discounts for annual contracts.
- Account service: single account manager, scheduled replenishment, 30-day payment terms.
- Adapted logistics: ability to deliver refrigerated for fresh products and dry for preserves. Clear geographical coverage.
Typical volumes by establishment type
Typical volumes by establishment type (average estimates 2026):
- Small restaurant (40 covers/day): 8-15 kg of tuna/albacore per month, 3-5 large cans per week.
- Medium restaurant (80-120 covers/day): 25-40 kg/month, 8-12 large cans/week, 1-2 tuna bellies/week on the menu.
- Hotel with buffet: 40-80 kg/month (depending on occupancy), mainly 1-1.85 kg formats.
- Event catering: per-event orders (300-1,500 g per service), usually ordered 5-7 days in advance.
- Central kitchen / collective catering: planned monthly orders, 5 kg barrel or 6x1.85 kg box formats.
- Gourmet store: wide assortment, premium individual 200-300 g cans, variable rotation.
Complementary tuna products on the menu
Complementary tuna products on a HoReCa menu:
- Northern albacore (Thunnus alalunga): the "premium brand" of tuna. It's worth identifying it by species on the menu.
- Tuna mojama: quality cured fish, high profitability per serving (20-30 g). A very high-margin appetizer platter.
- Tuna roe in oil: a premium product, ideal for salads and platters.
- Cantabrian anchovies 00: a natural complement on seafood menus.
- Mussels, cockles, razor clams in professional preserve: for tapas and Russian salads.
- Professional roasted Piquillo peppers: a classic complement to tuna in salads.
Most profitable tuna dishes for menus
- Russian salad with light tuna: cost/plate €1.80-€2.50, retail price €9-€14. Margin ~80%.
- Tuna belly, mojama, and anchovy platter: cost €5-€8, retail price €18-€24. Margin 65-70%.
- Cordoban salmorejo with tuna and egg: cost €2.50-€3.50, retail price €11-€15. Margin ~75%.
- Red tuna tartar: high perceived value, cost €6-€9, retail price €22-€32. Maintain cold chain and supplier carefully.
- Tuna tataki with sesame: cost €7-€10, retail price €24-€30. A signature dish in modern Mediterranean cuisine.
- Albacore skewers with Piquillo peppers: a bar classic, cost €0.80, retail price €3-€4.50. High volume.
How to access the Bacalalo HoReCa professional area
At Bacalalo, we have been working with restaurants, hotels, and catering from Mercat del Ninot (Barcelona) since 1990. If your business is a professional in the sector, you can request access to our HoReCa area for:
- Wholesale prices based on volume (3 tiers: small / medium / high volume).
- Access to specific cuts and formats not available to the end consumer.
- Personal account manager, orders via WhatsApp/email, scheduled replenishment.
- Complete technical documentation (technical data sheets, allergens, traceability).
- 30-day payment terms after the first validated delivery.
- Deliveries within 48-72 h in Barcelona and metropolitan area; 3-5 days in the rest of peninsular Spain.
Request access at /pages/profesionales-horeca with your company details. We validate within 24 working hours.
2026 trends in tuna for restaurants
- Species identification on the menu: "Northern albacore" / "light tuna" / "almadraba red tuna" instead of generic "tuna". More informed customers, greater willingness to pay.
- Visible traceability: QR on the menu showing FAO area and fishing method. Premium hospitality already applies this.
- MSC sustainability: corporate clients and large chain hotels request this by contract.
- Return of "served in its can" canned product: tapas/appetizers served in individual premium cans. High perceived value.
- Modern Mediterranean cuisines: tatakis, tartars, and ceviches with identified products.
- Corporate catering: growing demand for quality seafood products at corporate events.
🍽️ Restaurant, hotel, or catering? Bacalalo has been working with HoReCa professionals since 1990. Request access to wholesale prices →
Discover our premium selection
Carefully selected seafood products since 1990 at Mercat del Ninot, Barcelona. Refrigerated delivery in 24-48h.
Conclusion
Tuna and bonito in professional formats allow restaurants, hotels, and catering businesses to optimize cost per serving, margins, and traceability compared to individual retail cans. Key formats are 1 kg, 1.8 kg, and 1.85 kg in blocks, loins, or belly, depending on the use. The most rotated mid-to-high-end HoReCa brands are Olasagasti, Ortiz, Baymar, and Conservas del Cantábrico.
At Bacalalo, we have been working with industry professionals since 1990, providing stable supply, a single contact person, and complete documentation for HACCP inspections. If you manage a restaurant or catering business in Catalonia or Spain and want wholesale prices, technical data sheets, and guaranteed delivery times, request access to our HoReCa area. We validate within 24 business hours.
Related articles
- Request access to Bacalalo's professional HoReCa area
- Premium seafood products for hospitality in Barcelona
- Canned light tuna: brands and how to choose
- Canned tuna: guide to brands and types
- Octopus for restaurants: HoReCa buying guide
- Supermarket vs. gourmet tuna: is it worth it?
- View the entire tuna and bonito collection
Frequently asked questions
What tuna formats are used in restaurants?
The most common are 1 kg tuna in oil blocks, 1.85 kg loins, 1 kg belly, and 1.85 kg albacore tuna. For individual tapas, premium 200-300 g cans are used, served in their own packaging.
What is the typical margin for tuna in a restaurant?
For salads and standard tapas, 70-80%. For premium belly and tartare, 65-75%. Individual cans served at the table can reach 60%.
Is special authorization required to serve bluefin tuna in a restaurant?
No special authorization, but complete traceability is required: FAO area, fishing method, and certified species. HACCP inspections may request documentation.
Does Bacalalo work with restaurants?
Yes. We supply restaurants, hotels, catering, and gourmet stores since 1990 from Mercat del Ninot. Access to wholesale prices via the form on /pages/profesionales-horeca.
What is the minimum order for HoReCa?
Depends on the client and the route. For Barcelona and the metropolitan area, orders from €80-120. For the rest of Spain, minimums adjusted to the logistics route (consult us).
What are your delivery times for professionals?
Orders with available stock: 48-72 hours in Barcelona and the metropolitan area. 3-5 days for the rest of peninsular Spain. Planned orders (monthly): confirmed time slot by account manager.
How do I pay as a restaurant?
After the first validated delivery, payment is due in 30 days by bank transfer or direct debit. First deliveries: cash or advance transfer.
What documentation do I need as a restaurant to open an account?
CIF / NIF, certificate of economic activity, billing data, and contact person. Internal validation in 24 business hours.
Do you have professional albacore tuna?
Yes. 1.85 kg loins and 1 kg belly of Olasagasti albacore tuna are regular references in our HoReCa catalog. Identification by scientific species (Thunnus alalunga) in the technical data sheet.
Can I request samples before committing to a large order?
Yes, we offer professional samples (individual cans of selected references) after account validation. The cost of samples is deducted from the first order above a certain volume.
