History

Our story begins in the late sixties with the entrepreneurial vision of Don Antonio Suárez Gutiérrez, the dean of tuna fishing in México.

Don Antonio dedicated himself to the capture and processing of different species from the Pacific.

In the 1980’s, Grupomar® began operations in tuna fishing with the project to build two tuna boats with more than 1,000 tons of carrying capacity each.

The vessels began fishing in the Atlantic Ocean, integrating mixed crews between Spanish, Mexican, and Senegalese, with a base port in Dakar.

In the middle of that decade, the vessels were transferred to fish in Ensenada, Baja California in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Grupomar® eventually had 13 vessels and established itself as one of the most relevant tuna shipowners in the world.

Between the 1980’s and 1990’s, Mexico went through two tuna embargoes that slowed down the tuna trade, limiting the growth and development of the industry for export.

As a strategic decision, Grupomar® sold most of its fleet and the group integrated vertically, developing the company Marindustrias and acquiring the Manzanillo tuna production plant. In 1994 the Tuny® brand emerged.

Tuny® was born as an innovative brand, 100% Mexican, and with 30 years in the market thanks to its differential in quality and flavor. Tuny® is one of the most relevant tuna brands in the industry nationwide, is synonymous with modernity, and is recognized for its concern with the environment, innovation and dynamism. It is a new, youthful and aspirational brand ideal for those who want to experiment and try something current, it is empathetic with consumers who care about their health, nutrition and the environment.

Grupomar® becomes a pioneer by incorporating the easy-open lid for seafood products in Mexico, it is also the first to launch several types of easy-to-consume salads and seafood on the market.

The Manzanillo plant operates with a quality and food safety management system from the unloading of the tuna to the distribution of the product to large marketers. Thanks to its philosophy of continuous improvement, its quality and safety management system has been tested for more than 15 years by the certifications to which it is subscribed.

Grupomar® is the tuna company with the longest history incorporating a corporate social responsibility model, strengthening ties with the community, with the Proinfancia Colima Daycare founded on October 28, 2003; donations of finished products to vulnerable sectors of our community, and taking actions for the environment.

In 2015, Grupomar® began a process for expanding its tuna capture capacity, incorporating three new vessels of 1,200 tons each: the Gijón, the Oaxaca, and the Manzanillo.

Grupomar® is the only tuna company with vertical integration by developing and manufacturing its lids and food-grade metal containers, through its company Nanomar since 2015.

In 2023, Grupomar® integrated the María de Jesús vessel into its tuna fleet, making it the most modern in the Americas in the tuna fishery. It has a carrying capacity of 1,200 tons, and the main technical innovations of the María de Jesús ship are divided into five parts: design, propulsion system, electrical system, cooling system, and hydraulic system. It also reduces its impact on the environment and the marine ecosystem.

The fishing carried out by Grupomar® is sustainable fishing, which has allowed it to grow during these 30 years, and thanks to the investments made during this period, the Grupomar® industrial plant has an installed production capacity of 30,000 boxes of tuna per month, today it produces more than 35,000 boxes of tuna per day. Demonstrating operational improvement, investment in technology, process optimization, and personnel training.

Grupomar® is positioned as the tuna company with the largest number of certificates of national and international prestige that guarantee safety and quality, respect for the environment, sustainability, and social awareness.