German city of Hanover interested in Dénia's food projects and markets

Dénia as inspiration

Dénia offers more than just first-rate cuisine, enticing local markets, and a commitment to promoting local business. It serves as a model and source of inspiration for other European cities seeking to share information and widen their perspectives.

An official from the market management department in Hanover (Germany) has spent five days in the town to learn about new ways of working and projects run by the Office for Innovation and Creativity and the Strategy Office at Dénia Town Council.

The visit is part of a job-shadowing programme the German city has launched for its employees. Daniel Schellwald, who is in charge of organising Hanover's markets, was keen to see Dénia's markets first-hand. Given the town's status as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, he was also interested in its food scene and related events, such as the D*na Food Festival.

In Hanover, Schellwald manages 25 weekly markets, held in different neighbourhoods, plus another six where only local producers take part by selling goods from within an area up to 100 kilometres.

He showed particular interest in the Bancalet project, and praised the fact that the authorities, producers, shops, craftspeople and food makers of the Marina Alta, who are committed to the area and good practices, are sharing this initiative.

At Friday's market on La Vía St., he tried some products bearing the Bancalet label of identity for the Marina Alta, such as early tangerines and honey. He also visited the Municipal Market and, over the weekend, the D*na Food Festival, where he tried local products and dishes from the region and attended some of the talks.

Try before you buy

Daniel Schellwald was welcomed at Dénia Town Hall by the mayor, Rafa Carrió, and the councillor for Creative City, Raúl García de la Reina. He also held several meetings with the team at the Office for Innovation and Creativity, and with officials and the councillor for Trade and Markets, María José García.

Before returning to Germany, the head of markets for Hanover, a city of almost 550,000 people, expressed his admiration for the way a town the size of Dénia manages to organise and deliver so many projects and events. In his own role, he also takes part in promotional campaigns, marketing and event promotion.

Schellwald stressed the importance of looking after local producers and markets because of the personal, close contact they offer. "Tasting a product before you buy, it is something you can only do at a market," said the German official.

The visit, arranged by the International Relations department at Dénia Town Council, also had a European dimension, as Hanover City Council pointed out.

The German city holds a large Christmas market with more than 140 stalls, which attracts nearly 1,800,000 visitors, most of them being locals. Daniel Schellwald is in charge of organising it.