Barcelona’s Consumer Food Show will include the new spaces Trends and Landscapes

Barcelona Degusta, Consumer Food Show, will return to the Catalan capital 6-9 March 2009. Barcelona Degusta 2009, organised by Alimentaria Exhibitions, expects to gather close to 600 exhibitors - 20% more than the previous edition – in an exhibition space that will cover 30,000 m². The major show on eating will come to Barcelona with a greater international presence than ever.

Barcelona is getting ready to experience the third edition of Barcelona Degusta, the major food and beverage exhibition dedicated to final consumers where the theory and practice of eating take the spotlight. Barcelona Degusta will be held 6-9 March 2009, and for the first time will occupy two pavilions (1 and 2) of the Montjuïc venue at Fira de Barcelona.

Barcelona Degusta 2009 is expecting close to 600 exhibitors – 20% more than in 2007. They will occupy 30,000 m2 of exhibition space – a 10,000 m2 larger space than in 2007 – and receive at least as many as the 42,000 visitors who attended the event in 2007.

According to David Lapuerta, director of Barcelona Degusta, ‘the success of the international representatives at the last edition, from various regions of Italy and France, encouraged us to add the Landscapes space to the show. This area will be dedicated to international participants, who can present the potential of their territory as a whole, from food and cuisine to the rural and culinary tourism that accompany them.’

A commitment to internationalisation
The growth of Barcelona Degusta is also the result of the spectacular increase in international participation. The show has great hopes for its next edition, based in a large part on the extraordinary levels of international participation achieved in 2007, with 64 companies and 877 m2, when in 2005 there were 16 firms and 64 m2. Italy, France, Chile, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Belgium and Hungary were present at the last edition of Barcelona Degusta.

New spaces at Barcelona Degusta 2009
At its next edition, Barcelona Degusta will present two major new exhibition spaces. Landscapes will be the new area dedicated to geographically-specific participations where organisations and groups will exhibit their products and culinary wealth. Trends is the innovative space where companies will be able to explain the various values, benefits and concepts of their products.

Barcelona Degusta will include its best-known areas. The Market will enable producers to offer tastings and promote and sell their products directly to the consumer; the Ambigus are an ideal space for sampling the best in high quality culinary offerings; in the Bazaar visitors can purchase all manner of culinary objects, kitchenware and utensils; and at the Kiosk they will discover a large culinary bookshop with more than 1,000 titles relating to the culinary arts.

The Taste Seminars and Taste Agoras will once again become Barcelona Degusta’s interactive spaces par excellence. An up-to-date selection of sessions, talks, master classes and practical demonstrations to delight all participants. At recent editions, great chefs such as Carme Ruscalleda, Elena Arzak and Sergi Arola have taken part in these Barcelona Degusta spaces.

Another new feature at the upcoming edition is the creation of Club Degusta. The result of significant visitor satisfaction levels, it is especially intended for people interested in cooking, food and gastronomy. With free registration, its members will enjoy exclusive benefits and special activities before, during and after Barcelona Degusta is held.

Barcelona Degusta 2009 is organised by Alimentaria Exhibitions – a joint venture between Reed Exhibitions and Fira de Barcelona – the firm responsible for professional trade shows such as Alimentaria (Barcelona), Bta-Barcelona food and beverage technologies, Alimentaria Lisboa, Alimentaria México and Alimentaria Mercosur (Buenos Aires).

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