Following on from the Enjoyment Summit in 2018, held during Baden-Württemberg's presidency on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the network, the regions of Lombardy and Catalonia responded anew to the invitation of Peter Hauk MdL, Minister of Food, Rural Affairs and Consumers Protection Baden-Wurttemberg (MLR), to the 11th Food Enjoyment Summit "Food Visionaries - New Concepts for the Future of Enjoyment" in Heilbronn on November 17th 2023.
There are great synergy effects and overlaps in the objectives of the Enjoyment Summit and the common current topics of the partner regions. As a gourmet state, Baden-Wurttemberg wants to actively support the dialogue on a sustainable food culture and promote it with innovative impulses.
This year's summit focussed on future images and visions of the younger generation: producers, marketers and service providers in the context of a food culture that successfully navigates the tension between the desire for enjoyment and quality, the need for profitability and the demand for sustainability in the sense of assuming social, ecological and international responsibility, while proving to be fit for the future.
Several presentations were given by Baden-Wurttemberg, focussing on sustainable production or new marketing concepts with regard to consumer expectations. As a partner region of the Four Motors for Europe network, two guests from Catalonia and Lombardy presented their family businesses and visions for the future. Ms Clara Busoms (Catalonia), in her presentation entitled "The truffle and Noir et Blanc®", passionately explained her family business for organic black truffles, which is innovative in the areas of production, processing, marketing and information to the customers. Mr Gualberto Ricci Curbastro (Lombardy) presented the family winery of the Franciacorta denomination under the title "Ricci Curbastro Franciacorta: innovation in the name of tradition". He shared his vision of a new concept of enjoyment, focusing on the theme of certified sustainability and the valorisation of the company's historical heritage, representing a new way of approaching consumers to wine and wine tourism. Ms Patrizia Riccobene, desk officer for Organic Farming, Geographical Indications (GI) and Biodiversity for the Lombardy Region, also attended the Enjoyment Summit. The Summit offered a good opportunity for all participants to exchange ideas and network.
As the highlight of the annual gourmet summit, three 'Baden-Württemberg Enjoyment Ambassadors 2023' were honoured. They were selected based on their commitment to communicating Baden-Wurttemberg as a tourist destination and the diversity and quality of the products and offerings of Baden-Wurttemberg's agriculture and food industry.
As part of the Enjoyment Summit, the guests from Lombardy and Catalonia visited the LVWO state winery together with all the other speakers of the Enjoyment Summit on the evening before and were then able to get to know and enjoy culinary specialities from Baden-Wurttemberg at a cosy dinner in Weinsberg.
After a first feedback, the participants were fully satisfied with this event and returned back to Lombardy and Catalonia with new impulses and new contacts.
Background information
In December 2012, the Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection Baden-Wurttemberg (MLR), together with its partners, the Marketinggesellschaft Baden-Wurttemberg (MBW), Tourismus Marketing Baden-Wurttemberg (TMBW) and the Baden-Wurttemberg Cooperative State University, launched the Enjoyment Summit event series. The aim of the annual Enjoyment Summit is to provide impetus for an economic, ecological, social and enjoyable food culture and to motivate people to think and therefore act accordingly.
As a gourmet state, Baden-Wurttemberg wants to actively support this dialogue and contribute to the joint further development of its agriculture and food industry, hotels, gastronomy and tourism. Since 2012, two or three Baden-Wurttemberg Ambassadors of food enjoyment have been honoured each year.
More information about the Food Enjoyment Summit under www.genussgipfel-bw.de(only in German).
