Smokin’ hot: how one artisanal smokehouse reached global success without compromising on tradition

Onake, an artisanal smokehouse in Saint-Jean-de-Luz in France’s Basque country, has built a reputation both nationally and internationally thanks to its focus on high-quality smoked salmon, trout and other seafood from the Basque region. With support from EU funding, founder Michel Larrendy has been able to increase production capacity and improve the sustainability of the business without compromising its local artisanal roots.

Breathing new life into an age-old tradition

With a background in the food industry and a passion for local culinary traditions and heritage, Michel Larrendy was keen to combine tradition with innovation when in 2018 he took over a local smokehouse and set about bringing new life to the artisanal smoking techniques cherished in the region.

From the outset, Onake specialised in artisanal smoking of sustainably sourced fish, including Scottish and Irish salmon and Basque Country trout. “Our goal is simple yet profound,” says Michel. “[We want] to showcase the best of local fishing through meticulous artisanal methods that honour tradition, sustainability and quality.”

As demand grew, Michel diversified the range of species processed, which now includes tuna from the Basque Country region and line-caught mackerel from local small-scale Basque fishermen.

The fish are carefully cured with local salt from Salinas de Oro (Navarre, Spain), cold smoked using beech sawdust under tightly controlled conditions and allowed to rest for two days for optimal quality, in line with local production traditions.

Small company, big ambitions

Despite – or perhaps more accurately, because of – this hyper-local approach, Onake’s products have gained recognition and reputation. The company has started selling in shops, prestigious local restaurants and international destinations like Paris, Brussels, Dubai and Hong Kong.

But for Michel, building on this success posed a major problem: how to step up production while maintaining the artisanal roots of the business? When the local fisheries committee suggested applying for funding from the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) to help with this dilemma, Michel was convinced Onake was too small to qualify. But qualify it did, and EMFAF funding allowed him to invest in a new smokehouse and a precision slicing machine that have increased production capacity by 30% without compromising Onake’s artisanal approach.

Also thanks to the EU funding, Onake saw a 32% increase in turnover between 2021 and 2024, leading to the creation of four new jobs, including apprenticeships, and improved working conditions supported by enhanced quality control through modern technology. “Even the smallest projects and entrepreneurs can succeed. The EMFAF is accessible to everyone,” says Michel.

Supporting sustainable local industry

Despite its traditional approach to production, Onake also has a very modern attitude to sustainability and technology. The company has an innovative zero-waste approach, repurposing fish offcuts into canned fish rillettes, while modern labelling technology has enhanced product traceability and consumer confidence.

This sustainable approach extends beyond the company itself, however. Onake is enouraging sustainability across by the local seafood value chain, supporting small-scale fishermen and protecting regional fishing heritage in a highly touristic area where ports face development pressures.