Calvo was founded in 1940 when Luis Calvo Sanz began to manufacture canned meat in his own small factory in the town of Carballo, in Spain’s northwest region of La Coruña. He later began to can Spanish fabada, and finally started to can fish.

Fish was first canned in 1942. The businesses had already begun when news of a new light tuna or yellowfin came to the plant. Calvo decided to can this new type of tuna for the Spanish market in a new and innovative format: a round can. Up until then, tuna had been sold in oval cans. Ninety-five percent of the cans of tuna sold today are in round cans, and 79% of the tuna consumed in Spain is yellowfin.

In 1978, Calvo began to can light tuna in what is today the format par excellence: the three can pack of 80 gram cans. That same year he decided to acquire his own fishing boats. Currently, the Grupo Calvo has its own fleet of eleven boats.

In 1979 Calvo began his first ad campaign and became the market leader in the canned food sector.

Two new Grupo Calvo plants opened in Guanta (Venezuela) en 1981 and in 1986 in the town of Esteiro in La Coruña.

In 1993, the Grupo Calvo bought the Italian brand Nostromo, currently second in the Italian market with a 12% market share.

Calvo pioneered the introduction of the flexible aluminum bag for large pieces of tuna for the foodservice sector. In 1999, the restaurant and hotel division began to market products in this more hygienic, manageable and cost-effective packaging designed for the professional field, which best preserves the product .

The introduction of the first low salt canned tuna in 2001 meant a revolution for the industry. Once again, Calvo was the innovative trendsetter. Later, Calvo expanded the idea in all areas, reducing salt by up to 80% compared to traditional canned products.

In 2003 the Grupo Calvo opened the tuna plant in El Salvador.

In 2004 Calvo bought the leading Brazilian brand Gomes da Costa, becoming one of the top five canned food companies in the world.