The first edition of “Mercat de Mercats” has been a big success either in general public assistance, Media’s impact or business generation points of view: More than 180.000 visitors, 150.000 direct purchases and 40.000 portions of food and drink served, sometimes running out the available offer, or the more than 200 media’s articles among other, do explain why the Institutions, sponsors, producers and sellers involved in this first edition expressed their willingness to organize it yearly.

The “Mercat de Mercats” or “Market of Markets” is the third’s Mediterranean Market Fair organized in the frame of the MED EMPORION project, after the “Gastronomare” of Marseille and the Torino’s “Food Market Festival”. The next Fair will take place in Genoa from the 16th to 18th of September 2011.
 

Under a conception of the Market as a place of vital centricity, gastronomic proposals and leisure activities, in a very central privileged location of the city of Barcelona, the Fair encompassed the best stalls from the Barcelona's 39 food markets, stalls from the guests markets (Torino, Genoa and Marseille) with Italian and French Mediterranean products, a local farmers market, market bars and restaurants, cava, home-style produce with Catalonia DOP and IGP, extraordinary open presentations by renowned chefs and sommeliers, children's activities and fun for the whole family... A true festivity for the senses.

The over 20.000 sq 2 of the Market area included different sections:

- 31 marquees with the market's top quality and best produce.

- A very assorted selection of the best market stalls of Barcelona, offering meat, fruit, vegetables, cured meats, pre-cooked dishes, pulses, fresh pasta...

-36 producers of certified catalan products (Protected Denomination of Origin and Protected Geographic Indication)

- 12 Farm producers, from the official Catalan program "Buy from the Farmer's", a selection of farmers that directly sell their local and seasonal produce.

- 12 Mediterranean Stalls, from Genoa, Marseille and Torino, partners of the MED EMPORION project, presenting a wide range of their Mediterranean varieties.

- Tapas and bite-size tastes from the city's most characteristic bars and restaurants, offering fresh produce of the markets.

- 20 cellars form different wineries and Cava companies of Catalonia.

- A stage for Barcelona chefs and gastronomic presentations, teaching how to cook typical Mediterranean dishes.

- Another Stand for Sommeliers lives shows.

- Activities for children related to healthier nourishment, to which took part more than 600 children.

The very name of "Mercat de Mercats" a "Market of Markets" already defines its conception: we wanted to recreate a place of vital centricity, gastronomic proposals and leisure activities that really matches with the Mediterranean character and "way of life". With events like this one, we want not only to dynamize a key actor in the generation of economic activity of our cities, but also our citizens to rediscover one of the most world-known Mediterranean symbols, our Markets: an attractive central place of leisure and meeting for the citizens, true dynamic commercial poles of their neighbourhoods, which at the same time, promote healthier alimentary habits and natural produce,  exhibing the rich variety of our agriculture and gastronomy.