Prodeca presents its 2022 calendar of activities

In 2022 Prodeca is returning to in-person format for many business meetings, while keeping the virtual format that makes it easier to connect Catalan companies and producers with potential customers, distributors and importers.

Download the 2022 calendar of activities

International fairs return in person

2021 was the year in-person international fairs returned, and 2022 should consolidate that. Prodeca will therefore accompany Catalan companies to the world's leading international agri-food fairs under the agri-food brand 'Catalonia, where food is culture''. The first stop is Cologne, taking part in ISM, Europe's most important specialist fine food fair, in January. We will also accompany Halal-certified Catalan agri-food producers to the  Gulfood fair in February, and organic specialists to Biofach.

The Catalan wine sector has several international fairs: Barcelona Wine Week in February, in March the Prowein in Dusseldorf (back after the 2020 edition was cancelled), in September Prowine Asia-Singapore and Prowine Sao Paulo, and in November Prowine Shanghai and Raw Wine in Berlin.  

Barcelona regains its role as an agri-food fair hub with the return in April ofAlimentaria and Seafood, the world's leading trade event for fish and seafood, held here for the first time: both events postponed their 2021 editions because of the pandemic. 

Catalonia's fruit sector will be present at Fruit Logistica in Berlin in April and at Fruit Attraction in Madrid in early October. Finally, we will accompany Catalan meat companies both to the Intercarn show within Alimentaria and to SIAL Paris in October, which will also have a multi-product edition.

Virtual formats continue in international promotion activities

One of Prodeca's priorities in 2021 was running the 'eBusiness' virtual business meetings, in their two formats: 'eBusiness With', meetings with supermarket chains from strategic markets, i 'eBusiness Focus', meetings with importers and distributors from a specific market. The first 'eBusiness With' will be held in March with German companies, and in April with Mexican companies. In May we will hold three 'eBusiness With' events, with supermarket chains from Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, and an 'eBusiness Focus CIS' with importers from the former Soviet republics. Two 'eBusiness With' events are planned for June, one with South Korean supermarket managers and another with Chinese companies. The last is scheduled for September with an 'eBusiness Focus Belgium and UK' specialising in the fruit sector. 

Meetings with importers are complemented by more conventional in-person formats, such as business trips (one to Mexico and another to Africa are planned) and B2B business meetings, such as the collaboration in Catalan Wines in Mexico in October, organised by ACCIÓ.

In 2022, after a couple of years without this type of activity, we are reviving the Business Forums, the B2B meetings where buyers from strategic local and international markets travel to Catalonia to meet for a couple of days with Catalan companies from a specific sector: in early November we are organising the first Olive Oil Business Forum in Lleida.

Finally, for the coming year we are keeping international promotion activities in master class or tasting format around the world: product presentations with professionally led tastings aimed at buyers. Around ten Master Tast events and trade promotions are planned for 2022 in Mexico, the United States, Singapore, Japan, Germany and Dubai, among others, as well as resuming the Catalan Breakfast project in the United Arab Emirates, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Saudi Arabia, and taking part in events such as Berlin Food Week and the Catalan Wine and Cava Showcase. 

More agri-food trade promotion officers and offices worldwide

In 2021 Prodeca began working with agri-food trade promotion officers, following the agreement between the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda and the Catalan government's delegations abroad, and with support offices in markets of strategic importance to the sector, coordinated with ACCIÓ's offices. Both projects aim at spreading the word about the scale of Catalonia's agri-food sector and finding business opportunities, as well as supporting trade promotion activities.

Projects to raise the profile of Catalan gastronomy locally

Locally, Prodeca maintains its commitment to promoting Catalan products, companies and culinary heritage within Catalonia, with the Catalan Food Forum in March, Benvinguts a Pagès La Festa on the first weekend of October, participation in the Cruïlla Festival, and the organisation of the La Cuina area in the Espai Catalunya and the Catalan Wine Showroom at Gastronomic Forum Barcelona. We will also continue supporting and taking part in the various agri-food fairs held across Catalonia (Biocultura, Lactium, Fira del Torró d'Agramunt, Fira Orígens, etc.).

Besides specific activities, Prodeca's Gastronomy Area keeps a calendar of ongoing work with initiatives such as Gastroteca, Àpats Catalunya, 'Catalonia, where food is culture' or Benvinguts a Pagès Tot l’Any. 

Training and knowledge

The Knowledge and Strategy Area continues its work of researching and disseminating information, advising, training and supporting companies and sector players in agri-food marketing and internationalisation. The team continuously producesreports, handling enquiries, export barometers, news articles, video briefings, and so on, as well as renewing the training programme, which can already be viewed; registration for the first sessions in February will open shortly.