José Gourmet
José Gourmet is a Portuguese brand of canned fish, seafood and preserves, founded in 2008 by Adriano Ribeiro through the company 100Mistérios. The brand is known for packaging its tins with artwork commissioned from a rotating roster of Portuguese illustrators.
History
Ribeiro, a former Air Force and Air Macau pilot, conceived the brand while living in Macau, where he noted the absence of high-quality Portuguese preserved foods despite a strong market for Italian and French equivalents. He founded 100Mistérios and launched José Gourmet in 2008, initially trading in cheese and other gourmet products before focusing on canned seafood. The company later built its own factory in Matosinhos to develop new products, while sourcing tuna from the Azores.
Branding and design
José Gourmet's tins feature original artwork commissioned from Portuguese illustrators and designers, under the art direction and curation of designer Luís Mendonça (Gémeo Luís); illustrators who have contributed designs include Madalena Matoso and Bernardo Carvalho. Packaging also includes bilingual recipes developed with chef Luís Baena.
The brand's first official website, launched in 2008, was co-designed and coded by Portuguese designer Manuel André Correia, who also produced the product photography featured throughout the website.
The publisher Edições Eterogémeas released 31 Olhares Sobre a José Gourmet ("31 Views of José Gourmet"), a boxed collection of prints and text based on the brand's visual identity.
Reception
José Gourmet has been covered in Portuguese and international press, including Jornal de Negócios, Time Out Lisboa, Time Out Porto, Público, TAP's in-flight magazine, and Monocle.