Fromago presents its third edition in Salamanca and celebrates the cheese partnership between two sister provinces

The presentation took place this morning in the courtyard of the Palacio de las Salinas, headquarters of the Provincial Council of Salamanca, with remarks by Francisco Javier Iglesias García (president of the Provincial Council of Salamanca), Sara Fregeneda (President of EILZA), and Javier Faúndez (President of the Zamora Provincial Council)

Zamora and Salamanca, two neighboring provinces that share a cheese-making tradition and even some of the same producers, formed an alliance centered on the primary sector as a driving force for rural areas

Fromago 2026 has established itself as a national and international leader in the cheese industry, with more than 50 buyers participating in its buyer-led trade mission, the presence of major European cheese affineurs, and a fourth cheese tunnel dedicated to the Cincho Awards

FROMAGO Cheese Experience 2026 made a stop in Salamanca on Tuesday as part of the “Camino de Fromago,” the promotional tour that is taking the fair’s third edition across the country. The event, held in the incomparable Renaissance courtyard of the Palacio de las Salinas—the headquarters of the Salamanca Provincial Council—brought together institutional representatives, provincial council members, and the media around a common message: the strong bond between Zamora and Salamanca and their shared commitment to the primary sector.

Two Sister Provinces

The president of the Provincial Council of Salamanca, Francisco Javier Iglesias García, served as host and sought to highlight the close ties between the two regions, which he described not as mere neighboring provinces, but as “sister” provinces. Iglesias noted that both share traditions, a cheese-making culture, and even producers, and highlighted the two major events that Castile and León will host this September: Fromago in Zamora and the primary sector fair in Salamanca. “To speak of cheese in Zamora and Salamanca is to speak of culture, tradition, and a product that brings economic development and jobs to our region,” he noted, before announcing his intention to attend the fair accompanied by a large portion of the provincial council.

Sara Fregeneda: “Home Game”

Sara Fregeneda, president of EILZA (International School of Dairy Industries)—the fair’s organizing body—expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome with a personal touch: a native of Salamanca, she acknowledged that she was “playing on home turf” and reaffirmed the natural bond between the two provinces.

Fregeneda described Fromago as “a celebration of cheese and the primary sector” and broke down the fair’s figures: more than 300 exhibitors, more than 400 booths, 40,000 m² of exhibition space, and a 3-kilometer walking route. He noted that last year’s event drew more than 300,000 people, generated revenue of more than 14 million euros, and sold 170 metric tons of cheese—”which a small artisan producer probably wouldn’t produce in a lifetime.”

The president of EILZA also outlined the key professional aspects of this edition: a reverse trade mission —organized in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and the ICE of the Regional Government of Castile and León—that will bring together more than 50 buyers, 35 of whom are international buyers from more than 15 countries, as well as 15 buyers from national gourmet stores, specifically targeting smaller cheese producers without export capacity.

Among the new features, Fregeneda highlighted the fourth cheese tunnel, dedicated to the winning cheeses of the Cincho Awards—whose ceremony is expected to take place on Friday the 18th at Fromago— the surge in popularity of the new Best Cheesecake Contest (which has grown from one exhibitor to more than a dozen), and the creation of a wool square featuring spinners to highlight a product that is currently underutilized. He also highlighted the strong international presence, featuring leading cheese affineurs such as Neal’s Yard Dairy (United Kingdom) and Marcel Petit (France), as well as the recent confirmation of cheese makers from France, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, and the United States. Fregeneda did not want to conclude without thanking the fifty or so volunteers who make the fair possible.