“The gastronomy and local products in Cordoba have a uniqueness that can’t be copied”

‘Sabor a Córdoba’, the promotional brand created by the Cordoba provincial council (Diputación) through Iprodeco, will have a major presence at the new edition of SUR Wines & Gourmet. The event will showcase the quality and excellence of the province’s food and drink producers. We spoke with Félix Romero, Delegate for Economic Development, Promotion and Employment and president of Iprodeco, to discuss the goals behind ‘Sabor a Córdoba’, its role at the event and the promotional activities planned for the coming months.

How did the Sabor a Córdoba brand begin, and what are its goals?

Sabor a Córdoba was launched in 2024 by the Cordoba provincial council through Iprodeco as a promotional initiative to help local agri-food businesses grow and reach new markets.

According to Article 1 of its Regulations of Use: “The Sabor a Córdoba brand is a tool and promotional strategy designed to highlight and distinguish agri-food products made, processed and/or transformed in the province of Cordoba. It also recognises hospitality establishments, food retailers and catering services that use or sell these products, as well as organisations that support or promote them. All participants must meet the requirements set out in these Regulations.”

The brand’s goals focus on three main areas: promoting Cordoba’s products, supporting companies affiliated with the brand, and encouraging business development through grants, training and other forms of support.

How many products, brands and designations of origin does it include?

The Sabor a Córdoba brand has only recently begun its journey, following formal approval of its Regulations of Use by Cordoba provincial council. After their publication in the Official Bulletin of the Province (BOP), the regulations will come into effect on 22 October. From that date, Cordoba-based businesses interested in joining the initiative will be able to submit their applications.

This will mark the first phase, during which a portfolio of Sabor a Córdoba products will be created. It will include items endorsed by local companies that already work with Iprodeco, as well as others that wish to join, all collaborating to take Cordoba’s agri-food identity from local to global.

The next phase will involve the inclusion of other private agents across the agri-food value chain operating in the province’s municipalities, such as hospitality, restaurant, and catering businesses, as well as food retailers that use Sabor a Córdoba products.

At the same time, the brand will invite non-profit organisations and associations that support and promote the province’s agri-food production, Cordoba gastronomy, restaurants and the consumption of Sabor a Córdoba products.

What promotional strategies are being used to raise awareness of Sabor a Córdoba?

As part of the Sabor a Córdoba initiative, we’re focusing on promotion through the collective participation of local companies in agri-food trade fairs, both in Spain and abroad. Since 2024, we’ve participated in major events such as WOOE 2025 and Salón Gourmet in Madrid, TUTTOFOOD in Milan earlier this year, Auténtica Premium Food in Seville in September and now SUR Wines & Gourmet in Malaga. Locally, throughout 2025, Sabor a Córdoba has been present in almost 20 municipalities across the province, sharing its vision and supporting food-related fairs organised by town councils and industry associations.

Alongside these activities, our flagship promotional event is the Sabor a Córdoba Food Fair, which we held for the first time from 28 November to 1 December 2024 at the Centro de Exposiciones Ferias y Convenciones in Cordoba city. The event combined a strong business focus with the cultural heritage of local towns, celebrating their traditions, customs and values as part of the province’s identity, with the support of the municipal councils.

Next month we’ll hold the second edition of the Sabor a Córdoba Food Fair, from 14 to 16 November, again at the Centro de Exposiciones, Ferias y Convenciones. It will once more highlight the province’s agri-food companies and products, showcasing their quality and diversity alongside the wider richness of our region, with the support of the town councils of Cordoba province. It’ll be an excellent opportunity to be part of the Sabor a Córdoba brand.

What will Sabor a Córdoba’s participation in the new edition of SUR Wines & Gourmet involve?

Our participation on 20 October at SUR Wines & Gourmet will take the form of a joint showcase featuring eight Cordoba companies: four from the wine sector and four offering gourmet products, including extra-virgin olive oil, Iberian ham and cured meats, pastries and baked goods, snacks and ready-made dishes. All will be presented under the Sabor a Córdoba brand, providing them with the opportunity to establish commercial relationships with industry professionals attending the event. Alongside the exhibition, a wine and gourmet tasting session will be held, featuring products from the participating Cordoba companies.

What makes Cordoba’s gastronomy and products so distinctive?

Cordoba’s gastronomy and products have a uniqueness that can’t be copied, as they come from a province where land, history and culture blend with excellence. The province boasts seven designations of origin: four for extra-virgin olive oil (Baena, Priego de Córdoba, Lucena and Montoro-Adamuz), one for Montilla-Moriles wines and vinegars, and one for Iberian ham and shoulder cuts from Los Pedroches. This is a distinction very few provinces can match.

This diversity of landscapes (from countryside to mountain, including pasturelands and the fertile plains of the Guadalquivir) creates a wealth of unique flavours and products: olive oils with distinct profiles shaped by the soil and climate, exceptional fortified wines made from Pedro Ximénez grapes, acorn-fed Iberian hams with flavours impossible to replicate outside our dehesa, artisanal cheeses full of character and oranges grown on the banks of the Guadalquivir, offering the freshest and most vibrant taste of our land.

Our traditional cuisine also preserves the legacy of olive mills, wineries and vegetable gardens. From salmorejo to rabo de toro, and from the quince paste of Puente Genil to the liqueurs, aniseed spirits and mantecados of Rute, these products remain a source of pride and unmistakable ambassadors of Cordoba’s Christmas traditions.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or milestones that you would like to highlight?

October 22nd is a significant and eagerly anticipated date, as it marks the start of the Sabor a Córdoba brand regulations. From then on, Cordoba provincial council, through Iprodeco, will focus on spreading the word among local agri-food businesses. The aim is to help them understand how to join the brand, what its goals and strategy are, and what conditions they must meet to be authorised users. This process will later be open to other groups that wish to participate.

From 22 October onwards, the main objective is to create the best possible catalogue of products, businesses, bars, restaurants and organisations that support Cordoba’s agri-food industry and celebrate its rich gastronomy.