Tenderized Octopus Supplier — HoReCa & Industry | Mar Lusitano

Tenderized Octopus for HoReCa and the Food Industry

Mar Lusitano processes and supplies tenderized octopus for B2B customers, HoReCa and export. Industrial tenderizing is a mechanical process that acts on the octopus muscle fibres, reducing stiffness and standardizing texture — removing the manual pounding step and guaranteeing consistent results batch after batch.

Species and Origin

  • Octopus vulgaris — Common octopus, the reference species for Mediterranean markets (Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal). Origins: Morocco, Mauritania, Portugal, Senegal, Mexico. Commercial size 500 g to +8 kg.
  • Enteroctopus dofleini — Giant Pacific octopus. Large-calibre formats for premium restaurants and export.
  • Octopus maya — Mexican octopus. Soft texture, widely used in European retail.

Why Industrial Tenderizing Matters

  • Uniformity — every batch has the same texture, regardless of origin or size.
  • Shorter cooking time — cuts energy use and time in professional kitchens.
  • Versatility — suitable for grilling, boiling, marinating or sous-vide.

Commercial Calibres

Category Weight per unit Preferred market
T7 / T8 500 g – 1 kg Value catering, industry
T5 / T6 1 – 2 kg HoReCa, retail
T3 / T4 2 – 4 kg Premium restaurants, IT/ES export
T1 / T2 4 – +8 kg Premium export, Asian markets

Formats and Packaging

  • Whole tenderized frozen octopus — cleaned and gutted, graded by calibre, minimal protective glaze.
  • Separated tentacles / legs — for portion-based catering.
  • Whole IQF octopus — individually bagged.

The European Octopus Market

Octopus is one of the fastest-growing seafood products in Europe. According to EUMOFA, apparent EU consumption reached about 140,000 tonnes (live-weight equivalent) in 2017, led by Italy (~72,000 t), Spain (~31,000 t), Portugal (~15,000 t) and Greece (~9,000 t). European catches fell 40% between 2008 and 2017, making processed and imported octopus increasingly important.

Certifications

MSC certification, HACCP system, FDA (US), DIPOA (Brazil) and CIQ (China) approvals. Full lot traceability on every shipment.

Request a Quote

For quotes on our processing services, contact: marlusitano@marlusitano.pt | +351 234 397 620

See also our complete guide to salted cod.

Frequently Asked Questions

What octopus species do you supply?
Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is our reference species, plus giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) and Mexican octopus (Octopus maya). Origins include Morocco, Mauritania, Portugal, Senegal and Mexico, in sizes from 500 g to over 8 kg.
What is industrial octopus tenderizing?
A mechanical process that acts on the muscle fibres, reducing stiffness and standardizing texture across every batch — removing the manual pounding step and cutting cooking time in professional kitchens.
In what formats is the octopus supplied?
Whole tenderized frozen octopus graded by calibre (T1–T8), separated tentacles and legs for portion catering, and whole IQF octopus individually bagged. MSC certified, HACCP, full lot traceability.