About Us

From Sea to Table, with Skilled Hands and a Mediterranean Heart

ARMATORE was born in Cetara, an ancient fishing village nestled between the waves and rocks of the Amalfi Coast, where fishing is more than a trade: it is an art, a culture, and a legacy passed down from generation to generation. The hands of fishermen at sea and the women in production safeguard ancient knowledge, precise gestures, and rituals that transform every fish into a masterpiece of flavor.

Our Story: Knowledge Born at Sea

Our roots lie in the nets of tuna fishermen and in the wooden barrels steeped with anchovy extract. Today, we carry forward those values with the same rigor and respect for the sea, while looking firmly toward the future. Our fleet operates in full compliance with regulations and seasonality, favoring the waters of the Mediterranean—particularly FAO area 37—to ensure true traceability and sustainability.

From Bluefin Tuna to Bottarga: Handcrafted Excellence

We treat Bluefin Tuna, the king of our sea, with respect and mastery. Selected at the source, it surpasses the more common Yellowfin Tuna in flavor, texture, and nutritional value.
We also process its noblest parts, such as tuna belly (ventresca) and the prized Bluefin Tuna Bottarga, dried slowly according to the rhythms of tradition.

Anchovies: The Heart of Our Craft

Armatore’s anchovies are worked exclusively by hand by the women of the village, experts in every stage: from “scapezzatura” (head and gut removal) to the long maturation under salt, and finally to packaging. From their hands are born our olive-oil fillets, rich in flavor, and our Colatura di Alici di Cetara DOP, aged for at least 24 months in chestnut barrels—without the use of plastic. A true essence of the sea, recognized worldwide with PDO certification.

The 4Rotte Line: The Sea as You’ve Never Tasted It

With the 4Rotte brand, we give dignity to forgotten or lesser-known fish, rich in flavor and nutritional value.
Mackerel, bonito, frigate tuna, albacore, amberjack, little tuna, frigate tuna belly, and swordfish: all fished in the Mediterranean and processed artisanally to be offered in olive oil or natural, in a journey of taste along four routes of the sea.

Ready-to-Eat Tuna Sauces: 3 Years of Research, 4 Unique Recipes

After years of study, our gourmet ready sauces were born: four recipes in 190g bottles, created to bring quality fish to everyday dishes.

  • Tuna Bolognese

  • Tuna Genovese

  • Tuna Puttanesca

  • Anchovy Marinara

Made with authentic ingredients, without preservatives, colorings, or thickeners. 100% natural thanks to innovative thermal processes. Ready to heat, perfect for those who seek flavor and convenience.

The Facility: Innovation Serving Tradition

Our production takes place in a cutting-edge plant in Salerno, almost completely energy self-sufficient. Here, ancient know-how meets new technologies, in a production cycle that respects fish, people, and the environment.

Timoteo, the Master Salt-Curer: Hands that Tell Stories

Guiding our choices is the living experience of men like Timoteo, who for over forty years has carried forward the work of the master salt-curers, among the first artisans of anchovy extract in Cetara. His hands—and those of every one of our workers—hold the true know-how that no machine will ever replicate.

ARMATORE is an ancient gesture with its eyes on the future.
It is the voice of the sea transformed into flavor.
It is respect for the raw material, for those who work it, and for those who choose it every day.

Cetara: A Small Village, a Sea Heritage

Cetara is a small jewel of sea and culture set on the Amalfi Coast. With fewer than 3,000 inhabitants in just 5 km², this village represents a global excellence and a unique case study for the quality and identity of its seafood supply chain.

Here lies one of the world’s greatest concentrations of artisanal knowledge in the fishing and processing of Bluefin Tuna and anchovies, with a centuries-old know-how safeguarded by generations of fishermen and women.

Cetara is also the cradle of Italy’s only PDO-certified seafood product: the Colatura di Alici di Cetara DOP. Drop by drop, it tells a story of tradition, seasonality, and patience.

A place where time is marked by the sea, and where every bottle, fillet, or preserve carries with it ancient and authentic knowledge.