13 Canned Salmon Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

One of the biggest names in the world of canned fish, Starkist is an American company now owned by Korean corporation Dongwon Industries. They're best known for tuna (including their tuna mascot, Charlie), and were the first company to introduce pouches with a single serving of tuna. Starkist's company website notes that their products are processed in multiple different countries from wild-caught fish. Many canned seafood companies, including some that describe their product as "sustainable," outsource canning and processing to cut production costs, resulting in a less-fresh overall product that also comes with an increased carbon footprint due to the extra transport required.

This can has a uniquely tapered shape and contains a lot of water, as noted in some customer reviews. The salmon has skin and bones and comes out in one large piece, not quite as soft as some others on the list. The flavor is very salty, and this was one of the few brands on the list that left a lingering metallic "canned" aftertaste. This combined with the price ($5.69 for a 14-ounce can) makes it the lowest entry in the list.

Bumblebee is another major, well-known canned fish brand with a history that goes all the way back to 1899. Although Bumblebee is well-known for its tuna today, the company was originally founded to process salmon and still produces many salmon products, including this skinless and boneless pink salmon, purchased at $3.09. On the Seafood Stewardship Index, which ranks the world's top 30 seafood companies on their contribution to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, Bumblebee comes in at No. 16, indicating the company is making an effort to mitigate its environmental impact with some key areas that have room for improvement. 

The texture of this salmon was soft, pulpy, and watery, with a briny taste. Though overall better than Chicken of the Sea, Bumblebee is not one of the more highly-recommended brands, but no matter what brand of salmon you have access to, there are still lots of ways to use canned seafood in your kitchen. Try blending it into a sauce or the filling for a quiche or pastry.

The Signature Select brand is one of many owned by Albertsons Companies, Inc., which also includes Safeway and many other familiar U.S. brand names. Advertised as Alaska pink salmon, this product was highly ranked in customer reviews on Safeway's website, several of which mentioned this brand as a favorite for making salmon cakes. However, consumers should be cautious when purchasing any canned foods that do not advertise being free of bisphenol A, or BPA. This chemical, which is used in plastics, is found in the inner plastic lining of some cans and can leach into the food in the cans, potentially causing health problems.

At only $4.59 for a 14.75-ounce can, Signature Select is a better value than the similar-sized can of Starkist, although the Signature Select salmon was very soft, watery, and mushy. Containing both skin and bones, it has a strong fishy flavor, and would probably be better suited in a recipe with little seasoning or mild ingredients so it doesn't become too overpowering. It's hard to beat in terms of affordability, but there are better options on the list for quality.

IcyPoint is a brand owned by parent company Ocean Beauty Seafoods. A large seafood distribution corporation with several other brands and seven distribution centers nationwide, Ocean Beauty was first established in Seattle and derives its seafood from Alaskan fishing waters. Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, which ranks various kinds of seafood according to their sustainability and impact on the environment, states that U.S. Pacific wild-caught salmon is generally a sustainable choice as long as it does not come from a few specific areas. Atlantic salmon, on the other hand, has been overfished to the point of it no longer being permitted commercially, so all Atlantic salmon sold in the U.S. is farmed.

This salmon was more fishy-tasting than some others. The fish comes out of the can in large pieces, but they fall apart quite easily, which is convenient. This salmon does have both bones and skin, and a Walmart review complained of too many large bones in a can of IcyPoint.

365 is the Whole Foods Market store brand, so naturally this product can be found in-store at Whole Foods locations or ordered online. While the 365 salmon sampled here was Alaskan wild-caught, like many of the brands on this list, it should be noted that this brand also sells Atlantic farm-raised salmon products. While touted as a sustainable solution to overfishing by seafood companies, taking the pressure of human demand off wild fish populations, fish farming can also cause problems and interference with those same wild populations. When salmon escape from farms into the wild, they spread disease to wild fish and interbreed with them, passing on traits that negatively impact their wild offspring's chances of survival. Salmon shoppers concerned about the longevity of wild salmon populations may wish to consider companies that do not participate in salmon farming.

365's pink salmon is one of the pinkest brands on the list, but in terms of texture and flavor, it's right in the middle. Its strong points include the fact that it's not salty, and the can seems to be more stuffed full of meat than some other brands without too much water. At $4.39, this was also middling in terms of price for a six-ounce can of salmon.

Despite appearances, Rubinstein's has no artificial coloring added; its more orangey color comes from its being a red salmon, rather than a pink salmon. Also called sockeye salmon, red salmon belong to a different species than pink salmon and have a stronger, richer flavor. Like pink salmon, they are commonly fished wild from the Pacific rather than farmed in the Atlantic. Red salmon tends to be more expensive than pink and is less commonly found as a canned salmon overall. 

Purchased at $4.48 for a 7.5-ounce can, Rubinstein's has a rich flavor and a firm texture with a more solid chew than many canned salmon brands, which we absolutely love. It would do well in a recipe that required larger flakes or chunks of salmon. It's also one of the saltier brands on the list and would not require much salt added to it. Rubinstein's is kosher-certified and owned by the parent company Trident, which also owns Tulip, as well as the very similarly-packaged Faust Brand.

At $4.39 for a six-ounce can, Wild Planet was one of the most expensive brands sampled, but its commitment to sustainable fishing practices and superior product makes it worth the price. This brand is vocal about its use of pole and line fishing methods that target specific species. These methods of fishing are less-disruptive to ocean ecosystems than net fishing, which can result in the death of many sea creatures that are picked up by accident along with the desired fish. Wild Planet's website also lets us know that they obtain their salmon from smaller companies and fishing families in Alaska and Western Canada. 

Wild Planet has a fresh, briny ocean scent. The fish is in fairly large and solid chunks that show the natural grains and gray fat deposits in the meat, which we appreciate. It's much less watery than some other brands, and the flavor is almost like that of fresh salmon. Good enough to eat by itself, spread on crackers or bread, or mixed into your favorite salmon-based recipe, this is canned salmon at its best.