12 Tuna Brands, Ranked

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America eats around one billion pounds of tuna every year. Nearly a quarter of all Americans consume some form of this saltwater fish at least once a week. To put this mass consumption into perspective, consider the fact that only sugar and coffee surpass tuna in sales relative to shelf space at the grocery store.

Sealed cans of tuna have an impressive shelf life that can typically last up to four years. But even beyond its sheer practicality, part of tuna's appeal comes from its wide range of health benefits. Tuna offers high protein with minimal calories along with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that contain a variety of health advantages, ranging from boosting heart health to potentially alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression (via Healthline).

Whether you lay it over a bed of fresh greens for a salad, make a melt out of it with some toasted sourdough, or bake it in the oven as a creamy noodle casserole, tuna brings major flavor to the table. That said, there are a lot of different tuna brands on the market to pick from. Some provide bigger chunks of the filet, while others offer shredded pieces that are more tasty and tender. With so many variations and different tuna brands to choose from, how should you know what each of them has to offer? That's where we come in. Here are 12 tuna brands ranked.

Bumble Bee is another company that dominates the tuna market. If you've ever perused the canned tuna section at your local grocery store, there's a good chance it's been well-stocked with Bumble Bee. You may have also noticed tuna packaged in pouches, like this Bumble Bee wild caught albacore in water. There's a mixture of advantages and drawbacks to this pick.

On the one hand, it comes in a lightweight pouch. At only 2.5 ounces, there's no doubt that this is a great option for hiking or camping. This could easily be slipped into a bag and taken on the go without adding much extra weight. If you packed some crackers along with it, this could serve as a quick, protein-rich snack that doesn't require much time or preparation. 

On the other hand, some customers claim there seems to be an off-taste to this tuna. While taste is certainly subjective, others have chimed in with similar complaints, describing it as mushy and disgusting. This tuna's convenient packaging earns it some cool points in our book, but it may not offer the kind of consistency and quality that you might be expecting from albacore.

Freshé sets itself apart from the pack by including a variety of interesting ingredients in its tuna mixes. This is a convenient choice for those who want a tasty tuna salad that's ready to eat right out of the can. Having an option like this can be a real time-saver since you don't have to spend time dicing up fresh vegetables or adding other fixings to amp up the taste of your tuna salad.

Fans of a little heat will appreciate the Thai sriracha tuna that comes packed with wild-caught tuna, crunchy peanuts, sweet and sour beans, greens, and an undercurrent of spice that's inspired by Asian cuisine. Customers tend to praise Freshé, calling its tins of flavorful tuna a "delicious and satisfying" option for lunch (via Amazon). If you don't dig the spice life, you can always opt for a tin of Freshé's Sicilian caponata, which comes infused with butternut squash, shaved almonds, herbs, and fire-roasted vegetables. 

All things considered, Freshé is a great option for tuna lovers looking to expand their tuna salad horizons. The ability to simply open a tin of tuna that's rich and packed full of delightfully creative ingredient combinations is an ideal situation for those who want a quick, protein-rich meal. At just over 4 ounces, these tins are a little smaller than the typical 5-ounce cans other brands offer, so you may need to double up on these on those days you have a bigger appetite.

Chicken of the Sea has earned another spot here with its Thai chili tuna. What's cool about these infusion offerings from Chicken of the Sea is the convenient design. The tuna is packed into a bowl and comes with a spork under the lid, providing everything you need to eat in one useful package. This means there's no need to bring Tupperware to work or pack utensils — Chicken of the Sea does all the heavy lifting for you.

Clever packaging aside, this tuna also happens to be really delicious. Made with a blend of tender skipjack tuna packed in olive oil with red chiles, this tuna has a pleasant sparkle of spice that adds some nice flavor to the mix. Customers tend to love this stuff so much that they purchase it on a regular basis, thanks to its convenient design and undeniable tastiness. If you aren't really down with some subtle heat, the company offers a few other flavors in its infusion lineup like herbaceous tuna marinated in olive oil and sweet basil.

Pole & Line is a canned tuna company that's owned by Whole Foods Market. The company offers five different types of canned tuna, along with this can of albacore in olive oil. Pole & Line prides itself on its sustainable harvesting techniques that employ families with a history in the fishing industry along the Pacific coast and the Maldives. In our book, these kinds of mindful and environmentally-friendly practices are enough to give this brand a well-deserved boost. But even beyond that, customers are often pleasantly surprised with the high quality of this tuna, given its reasonable price tag.

Others love the taste and recommend it for classic tuna sandwiches or baked casseroles. These compliments are noteworthy, considering that albacore tends to be on the drier side — yet the tuna offered here by Pole & Line seems to not have this problem. If you prefer skipjack over albacore, the company offers that too — one can with added salt and another that's salt-free. Pole & Line's standards for sustainability combined with its quality offerings make it one of the best tuna brands out there. If you're looking to switch it up from your normal tuna brand, this is a venture worth taking.

Safe Catch has a unique — yet alarming — origin story that's rooted in truly wanting to improve the tuna market. The founder of the company decided to start up his own tuna business when his mother was diagnosed with mercury poisoning after eating tuna on a daily basis. Safe Catch made it the company's mission to test each and every albacore tuna it catches, checking its fish for rates of mercury that are even lower than the FDA's action limit. In other words, Safe Catch's name isn't just some cute marketing ploy. It's an honest depiction of what motivated the company to start doing business.

These cans of wild albacore don't contain any oil, water, or other additives. Each can only contains hand-filleted sashimi-grade tuna. Even though customers admit that this stuff is on the pricier side, they're happy to report this tuna is well worth it. When you purchase Safe Catch tuna, you're buying more than just fish. You're buying peace of mind, knowing this is high-quality tuna with rigorous testing standards conducted for the sake of your health. Delicious and nutritious with a commendable mission to boot, Safe Catch is one of the best tuna brands on the market.

If you dig a pleasant punch of heat with your tuna, then we have a real treat lined up for you. Natural Catch's spicy tuna comes packed with a whole chili pepper to infuse the tuna with some spicy goodness. Sealed with organic extra virgin olive oil from Spain, this tuna is hand-cut and sustainably sourced through line and pole catching methods.

While the price point tends to be a little higher than other brands, this is a classic case where you truly get what you pay for. The superior quality of this tuna speaks for itself. Some customers even say that this is "the best tasting tuna" they've ever eaten in a can (via Amazon). The tuna filets in these cans are packed in the form of solid steaks, making it easy to enjoy whole succulent pieces of fish. The beauty of this tuna is that it's so good, you'll enjoy it no matter how it's prepared. Eat it straight out of the can or make a luscious tuna pasta salad out of it. With tuna this good, you can't lose. Pro tip: Put that whole chili pepper to good use by dicing it up and adding it to whatever dish you're preparing.