On June 1st, Catalonia Region, in collaboration with AREPO, organised a meeting on “Short circuits and direct sales in regional promotion strategies” held in Barcelona, at the Archeological Museum of Catalonia.
The General Director of Food, Quality and Agro-food sector, Mr Antoni Diaz, introduced the meeting together with AREPO Secretary-General, Mr Laurent Gomez.
The presentation on the findings of AREPO’s study on regional brands in its partner regions was followed by the presentations of experiences and strategies of five European regions: Aquitaine, PACA –also representing AREFLH-, Emilia-Romagna, Basque Country and Catalonia.
During the discussion session, chaired by the Secretary General of AREPO, representatives of producers and regional experts from Catalonia highlighted the good practices as well as the challenges in building a strong regional promotion strategy, capable of integrate and assure coexistence of different objectives and approaches.
The Minister of Agriculture of Catalonia, Ms. Meritxell Serret i Aleu, concluded the event highlighting the potential for short circuits and direct sales in regional promotion strategies. They represent important instruments to promote development and cohesion in rural areas and they answer to consumers’ demand for local products. In addition, they have a great potential in term of sustainability and social cohesion, representing opportunities both for tourism and for domestic consumption.
To conclude the meeting, the participants enjoyed a guided tour of the exhibition on gastronomy in the Archaeological Museum of Catalonia: “El genio culinario: innovaciones que marcan nuestra cocina”. The exhibition highlights as today culinary traditions in the past have always represented innovations that marked the history of our kitchen.
