The Regional Government plans to strengthen participation in trade fairs and promotional initiatives, highlighting the quality, authenticity, and distinctive identity of Azorean products. The announcement was made during the eighth edition of Taste Azores, which brings together 23 regional businesses and projects in Lisbon.
Products from the Azores, born of a singular geography and centuries of traditions intimately connected to the land, the sea, and the labor of island communities, are expected to gain greater visibility throughout mainland Portugal beginning in 2027. The Regional Government has announced plans to expand and strengthen the presence of Azorean products at trade fairs and promotional events, bringing the archipelago’s businesses closer to Portuguese consumers while creating new commercial opportunities and reinforcing the recognition of the Azores Brand.
The announcement was made by the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food, António Ventura, during the eighth edition of Taste Azores, taking place through November 1 at the Colombo Shopping Center in Lisbon. The initiative brings together 23 regional companies and projects representing sectors ranging from dairy production and agriculture to processed foods, traditional crafts, and tourism promotion.
“We want Azorean products to become increasingly familiar to Portuguese consumers, and we want that presence to reflect what truly distinguishes us: quality, authenticity, a profound connection to our territory, and the capacity for innovation,” António Ventura declared.
For five days, the central square of one of Lisbon’s major shopping destinations becomes a showcase for the extraordinary diversity of Azorean production. More than a commercial exhibition, Taste Azores seeks to establish a direct relationship between producers and consumers, introducing visitors to the flavors, craftsmanship, traditions, and entrepreneurial spirit that distinguish the islands’ economy.
According to the Regional Secretary, the Azores possess an identity that constitutes an invaluable competitive advantage in an increasingly demanding marketplace. The richness of the archipelago’s natural resources, the excellence of its agricultural and artisanal production, the knowledge accumulated across generations, and the innovative capacity of its entrepreneurs are all essential elements of a regional economy whose distinctiveness deserves greater recognition beyond the islands.
“The Azores have an identity of their own, shaped by the richness of our natural resources, the quality of our production, our knowledge and traditions, and the innovative spirit of our entrepreneurs. This distinctiveness is an enormously valuable asset, and we must continue to affirm it beyond the Region,” Ventura emphasized.
The expansion planned for 2027 will also be associated with the commemorations marking 600 years since the discovery of the Azores, linking the historical memory of the archipelago to the contemporary affirmation of its economic and cultural identity. The initiative seeks to transform this anniversary into an opportunity for greater national recognition of Azorean products, businesses, and entrepreneurial achievements.
Taste Azores also incorporates a cultural dimension, including a performance by TUCA — the University Tuna Corsários dos Açores — on October 31. The musical program adds another expression of Azorean identity to an event that celebrates not only the products of the islands but also the cultural heritage from which they emerge.
The Regional Government considers the promotion of Azorean production and the Azores Brand an essential investment in recognizing the work of farmers, producers, artisans, and entrepreneurs whose dedication sustains the archipelago’s economic vitality. By strengthening the visibility of regional products in mainland Portugal, the initiative aims to consolidate existing markets while encouraging new commercial relationships.
To promote Azorean products is also to give greater visibility to the islands and their people. Within every cheese, every harvest, every handcrafted creation, and every expression of the islands’ agricultural abundance resides a fragment of a much larger story: that of a people who learned to transform geographical isolation into cultural identity, inherited traditions into knowledge, and the resources of a volcanic Atlantic landscape into possibilities for the future.
The growing presence of Azorean products beyond the archipelago therefore represents more than a commercial strategy. It is an affirmation of belonging, an invitation to discover the richness of an island civilization, and a reminder that economic development and cultural heritage need not exist in separate worlds. In the Azores, they have long shared the same soil, the same sea, and the same enduring human determination.
And perhaps therein lies the greatest promise of initiatives such as Taste Azores: that the islands may travel farther than their geography allows, carrying into new markets not merely the excellence of their products, but the unmistakable character of the people and landscapes that gave them life.
Based on a story in Diário Insular-José Lourenço-director. The photo is also from DI.