Tradition infused with flavor—that’s the Silva standard.  

 

Our father, Manuel Martins, immigrated to the Bay Area from Portugal by way of Argentina in 1964 with dreams of starting his own business. He began making Portugese-style Linguiça as a way to share his traditions, flavors, and techniques with his community, connecting with his neighbors through the universal language of food. 

 

Silva Sausage opened in San Jose in 1967, and our Linguiça soon became the stuff of local legend. It wasn’t long before Manuel added Italian sausage and Spanish-style Chorizo to his repertoire. His strong work ethic helped Silva thrive—he frequently slept in the factory overnight to keep an eye on each batch throughout every step in the production process. 

 

We were often right there by our father’s side. Throughout our childhoods, we spent Saturdays helping him package the handcrafted sausages and handwriting the weights on each one. We were raised with an unwavering dedication to quality—and that’s what made Manuel’s dream a reality.

 

Silva went from a small family business to a household name throughout San Jose, California, and beyond. 

 

A new generation of tastemakers.

 

In the past 30 years, we’ve spiced up our dad’s traditions, with savory blends that include honey, whisky, beer, and locally sourced ingredients, including Gilroy’s world-famous garlic. To this day, our sausages are minimally processed and all made by hand with care and skill. We’re still family-owned, operating out of a new facility in Gilroy, California. 

 

There’s always room at our table, so come, pull up a chair—whether you’ve been serving up Silva for decades or you recently discovered us at your local grocer. We’re proud to offer a variety of sausages, from Portuguese Linguiça and Spanish Chorizo to Jalapeño and Pepper Jack and Louisiana Hot Links, that reflect the diverse tastes and traditions of our community, our state—and our country.  

 

For us, a taste of Silva is a taste of home, no matter where you are.