The Iberian Ham, the “delicatessen” that conquers France

Paris has become one of the great epicenters of the “Ham Passion Tour” campaign organized by “Iberian Hams of Spain” – the brand of the Iberian Pork Interprofessional Association (ASICI) – and the European Union (EU) for the second year , which will cover 25,000 kilometers throughout Europe and will stop in 24 cities until 2020 to discover and highlight the virtues of this high quality product based on a sustainable production model, where food security, animal welfare, traceability and respect to the environment are the differentiating pillars.

Iberian hams from Spain scheduled an intensive cutting course on September 30 at the Francois Rabelais de Dugny Lyceum, with the participation of students and teachers from different cooking schools of the Association Nationale des Ecoles Privées d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme and other external professionals, with the aim of “creating the interest of teachers and integrating this training in more Hospitality Schools. It is essential to promote the cut of Iberian Ham and that it enters the best centers in France ”, stressed the president of ASICI, Antonio Prieto.

Also, ASICI developed on October 1 a meeting or workshop with media in an emblematic place like Le Miroir in Melia La Défense, with the Eiffel Tower and the Parisian skyline in the background, to learn about the benefits of a unique gourmet product in the world, enjoy a sensory tasting of Iberian Ham by experienced technicians from the world of research, and taste a menu with Iberian Ham as the protagonist inspired by Franco-Mediterranean cuisine by Belgian-Spanish chef Patricio de Diego de la Vega (Le Miroir).

On October 2, the campaign reached Lycée Jean Drouant. The Ham Passion Tour repeats one of the locations chosen already during the first year of the campaign given the interest generated among students and educators. A very complete day of training around the Iberian Ham and its culture in this School of hospitality

Meanwhile, the modern “Ham Truck” or traveling truck continues to disclose for the second year the excellence of the Iberian Ham. After leaving Madrid (Meat Attraction fair) and arriving in San Sebastián (during the International Film Festival), from October 1 to 3 he arrives in Lyon and, from October 5 to 7, arrives in Paris, before continuing his journey by Hamburg, Berlin, London and Manchester.

Those responsible for the Interprofessional show during this tour the great reception that has had the revolutionary APP for mobile devices, “Iberian”, which have been designed to collect the information of more than 60 million Iberian hams and shoulders identified with seals. Thanks to the application, the consumer can check the traceability of the parts based on the information recorded in ITACA, and verify that the product complies with current regulations. This application, free and interactive, has obtained more than 19,000 downloads with which users have made 150,000 seals readings.

France is a major consumer of meat products with an established and recognized industry and demanding demanding customers. It is a very mature market with audiences that demand high quality or gourmet products, which are concerned about health and nutrition, which opens up great marketing expectations for Iberian Ham and Iberian Pork derivatives thanks to the extraordinary flavor and benefits it brings to health.

France has established itself as the main importer of cured Spanish hams and shoulders. According to ICEX data, in 2018 exports to France increased by 14.5%, to over 100 million euros.

The “Ham Passion Tour. The Ham, the passion of Europe ”2018-2020, with a budget of almost 6 million euros, is allowing progress in the consolidation of the product in strategic markets such as France, Germany or the United Kingdom, as well as in Spain. In the first year of the campaign alone, the messages have reached more than 200 million potential consumers, achieving more than 50 million impacts on the media, exceeding the initial objectives set by more than 165%.

How to recognize an Iberian Ham

Iberian hams or palettes that carry one of these four precincts of Norma, there is no place for doubt. The seal must be one of these 4 colors and include the ASICI logo.

• The black seal is 100% Iberian Acorn Ham, from a 100% Iberian animal, whose parents are 100% Iberian Breed inscribed in the Genealogical Book; raised in the pasture in the pasture and fed, in its fattening stage, of acorns and other natural resources of the pasture.
• The red seal is of the Iberian Acorn Ham, from 75% or 50% Iberian animals, that live free in the pasture and are fed on acorns and other resources of the field in their fattening stage.
• Green seal identifies the Cebo de Campo Ham, which can come from 100% Iberian or 75% or 50% Iberian breed, fed with cereal and legume feeds and with field herbs.
• The white seal identifies the Bait Ham that can come from 100% Iberian or 75% or 50% Iberian breed specimens, fed on farms based on cereal and legume feeds.