🐟 Lata – The Golden Age of Portuguese Canning

Throughout the 20th century, the Portuguese canning industry played a crucial role in coastal communities, shaping local economies and social life around fishing centers. After explosive growth driven by World War II demand, the industry entered a period of consolidation, focusing on quality and expanding into international markets.

Lata puts players in charge of local canning companies during the 1950s, producing and selling Portugal’s most iconic preserves: sardines and mackerel—before tuna took over the spotlight.

🎯 Objective

Manage your factory efficiently, expand production, and secure the best markets.
The player with the most Victory Points (VP) at the end of the game wins.

🧩 How the Game Plays

The game unfolds over six rounds, each representing a phase of industrial planning and competition.

🐠 Acquire Raw Materials

• Players buy batches of:

  • Fish

  • Tomato sauce

  • Olive oil

• These resources are processed in your factory to create preserves

🏭 Production & Sales

• Canned goods are sold to various markets

• Sales generate money, which is reinvested to:

  • Purchase scorecards

  • Increase factory capacity

🔄 Auction & Action System

A unique and tense mechanic drives player interaction:

• Each round begins with a secret auction of action points

• Players slide a disk left on their personal action track:

  • Fewer actions = higher priority in choosing raw material batches

  • More actions = greater production and market flexibility

• The dilemma is constant:
  Act first… or act more?

🧠 What Makes Lata Special

• Tight economic strategy

• Meaningful player interaction without direct conflict

• Strong historical theme rooted in Portuguese culture

• Elegant balance between planning and risk

• Excellent solo mode for thoughtful play

🏆 Awards & Honors

• 🥇 2024 GEEKS d’OURO – Portuguese Board Game of the Year (Winner)

• 🏅 2024 GEEKS d’OURO – Board Game of the Year (Nominee)

• 🏅 2024 GEEKS d’OURO – Portuguese Board Game of the Year (Nominee)

• 🎖️ 2023 5 Seasons – Portuguese Game of the Year (Nominee)

• 🎖️ 2023 5 Seasons – Best Solo Mode (Nominee)

• 🎖️ 2023 5 Seasons – Best Portuguese Expert Game (Nominee)