This Thursday has taken place the launching of the event in the Sala de la Encarnación of the Diputación de Zamora, where all aspects of this event have been detailed.
“The people of Zamora, like the landscape that surrounds them, have a hard soul and a warm heart, they know about solitude and silence, and their gaze reflects the ancient wisdom of the countryside”, with these words the president of the International School of Dairy Industries (EILZA), Sara Fregeneda, opened yesterday the official presentation of Fromago 2024 in Zamora.
A day in which it was possible to make an approach to everything that the organization is preparing with an objective that Fregeneda defined as follows: “dignity and courage have been present to defend the potential and value of this land and this province, often forgotten, but that we are determined to continue putting in value through such a powerful sector in the province as the cheese.
Thus, Zamora will once again be the capital of cheese and sheep from September 12 to 15. Four days of intense activity and full of novelties that will bring together more than 300 stands from up to 200 different producers. A unique opportunity for the sector and also for the general public, who will be able to taste more than 1,200 different types of cheese.
A celebration in Zamora “in its own right,” defined Fregeneda, who defended “the ancient wisdom of the countryside, reflected in the eyes of all Zamoranos. The sheep and cheese tradition that exists in every corner of this province is undeniable”.
In this sense, the president of EILZA also recognized the enormous effort that the organization has been making for months to make this fair go ahead. A task in which they are accompanied by sponsors and collaborators who have joined Fromago 2024.
At the event, which was attended by various public representatives and with the support of the Zamorano society, Fregeneda detailed all the actions that are planned for these days and that will take place in 8 different scenarios along the more than 2 kilometers of route from the Parque de la Marina to the Cathedral, the epicenter of the fair.
As in Fromago 2022, attendees will be able to enjoy different immersive experiences such as the cheese tunnels, where they will be able to learn about a large number of varieties, types and kinds while discovering all the secrets of this product, which will come from both national and international sources.
An activity for which the CEOE Zamora, with the support of the Provincial Council and the City of Zamora, will launch a campaign with the trade and store window contest, where Fromago will collaborate in the prizes with 20 double tickets for the cheese tunnels.
This Thursday it was also known that this year a stage will be set up in the Atrium of the Cathedral, on loan from the bishopric of Zamora, where the Symphony Orchestra of Castilla y León will offer a unique concert in the heart of the capital.
The collaboration of the most important cooperatives in the province has also been confirmed. Cobadu with an interactive stand, Asovino will be installed in the Plaza del Lechazo, Gaza will offer ice cream and activities in La Marina, and the Consorcio de Promoción del Ovino will also be present with its cheeses.
The machinery and material area for the cheese industry will be located in the Plaza de La Marina and the international area in the Plaza de la Catedral. The children’s activities will take place in the tent located in the Plaza de la Constitución and in the Plaza Fray Diego Deza. Dissuasive parking lots will also be located in the Campo de la Verdad area and surrounding areas.
The four themes around which the fair will revolve are the sustainable dairy industry, the sheep sector as an agri-food pillar, cheese as a source of nutrition and the role of rural women. The entire program, aimed at all types of audiences, has been developed around them.
Official Mascot
In addition, Fromago already has an official mascot, a sheep, as it could not be otherwise, symbol of the fair, but also of the city and the province. The only thing missing is a name, so the organization has launched a contest in its various social networks to choose a designation in a public way that will be unveiled on July 15.
Agenda
As a prelude, on Wednesday 11, the Fair is scheduled to begin with a welcome cocktail party at the Parador de Zamora for all participating exhibitors, where a first meeting will be held before the official opening of the fair the following day.
On Thursday 12 and Friday 13, international meetings organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Zamora, together with the Institute of Business Competitiveness of the Junta de Castilla y León (ICE) will take place. Up to 37 international buyers will meet with 50 companies already registered and more national buyers are expected to join.
Cincho Awards 2024
On Friday, September 13, the Ramos Carrión Theater in the capital will once again become the stage where the Cincho 2024 Awards will be presented after the participating samples were tasted by a total of 64 national and international experts between September 9 and 11, in Carrión de los Condes, Palencia.
Fromago Commerce and Bar Fest
Similarly, ‘Fromago Commerce and Bar Fest’, the festival of commerce and hospitality, will be held in parallel with the aim of promoting the activation and revitalization of local commerce and hospitality in the capital, where the prize will be the “weight in cheese” of the winner.
Volunteer network
An edition full of activities and novelties that could not be carried out without the network of volunteers that, since it was launched a few weeks ago, has not stopped receiving requests for membership to contribute to the enhancement of the dairy sector and the roots it has in society. More than 70 people have already registered.
The functions that volunteers will be able to perform during the fair range from control and assistance in free parking lots to the delivery of materials and services to exhibitors, information to visitors around the fair, help with cleaning issues or control of capacity of activities.
Referring to the character of this fair, Sara Fregeneda, president of EILZA, stressed that, “in the desire that Fromago 2024 is a project of Zamora, as entrusted to us from the Provincial Council, we can already confirm that more than 90% of the companies contracted for the organization and assembly are from Zamora”.
“I do not want to finish without reiterating my sincere thanks to all the institutions, organizations and sponsors. Without their support it would not have been possible to embark on this new adventure,” concluded Fregeneda before a packed hall.
