March 2, 2024
Last updated on March 6, 2024
Fancy a board of local charcuterie, with a variety of goat cheeses, bread and the best extra virgin olive oil? Maybe some local wine or liquor on the side? You can have it all, of the best quality, with Sabor a Málaga. I’ll tell you more below. 😉
Table of Contents
What is Sabor a Málaga?
Sabor a Málaga (a bit of a word play that mean something like ‘Tastes like Málaga’) is a collective of producers and / or farmers of the province of Málaga, coordinated by the government of the province (Diputación Provincial de Málaga). Together, they make fairs to demonstrate their products around the province – something that the individual producers would probably not be able to afford isolated; together, they pull this out magnifically.
The products
Sabor a Málaga congregates more than 400 producers, which provide a variety of goods such as olives, olive oils, bread, spices, jam, honey, cakes, charcuterie, cheese, coffee, gin, beers, liquors and more. Many of them are artisanal and made with ecological concerns.
The distinctive aspects of Sabor a Málaga products are two: first, they are made in Málaga Province; two, they are high quality products, traditionally and proudly crafted. Being part of Sabor a Málaga brand is a reason to be proud for each of the individuals involved. Their products carry the Sabor a Málaga logo, which you can see in the olives above and in this (delicious) goat cheese in olive oil that I got from the fair in Torremolinos 🙂
I also got a Mistela, a liquor made with several herbs, being anise the one that stands out. It is a traditional beverage from Arriate, a village close to Ronda, home to less than 4.000 people. Good thing I tried before I new that there was anise involved; I usually think it tastes too strong, but not in the Mistela; this sweet and slightly alcoholic beverage is really well balanced, and I fell in love at first sip.
Sabor a Málaga fairs
The fairs don’t follow a fixed calendar, but happen every few months, each time in a different city or town of Málaga. Not all producers go to every fair; about 30 to 40 members of the group participate in each event. I visited the fair for the first time when they were in Torremolinos, and I had a blast. The place was beautiful (it’s Torremolinos, after all), the fair was full of people, but not so much that it would be difficult to walk around. There were two sellers / producers per tent, and they were happy and proud to introduce their products.
This fair lasted for 4 days (from February 29, 2024, to March 3, 2024) and had 36 stands. The pictures I took there illustrate this post.
In the fairs you can find unique products that are not available in the main market chains. Some of them are produced by a single family and would be able to have only local reach if it were not for the collective brand. Sabor a Málaga increases the visibility of these producers, enhancing the chance for potential deals with distributors, shops or restaurants and allowing for sales directly to local buyers.
The Sabor a Málaga brand is recognized by the European Community Trademark Registry and exists since 2011. In the fairs, besides the producers selling their own products, there is a stage where there can be shows or talks about what makes a great goat cheese, how to pair local wines with foods, and so on, while the audience taste the products.
Below and for reference, the program of events of the Sabor a Málaga in Torremolinos. You may click on each image to enlarge:
Past Events
Here are the posters of some of the latest Sabor a Málaga fairs. They are all from 2023, except for the last one, in Torremolinos, that is from 2024. In 2023, there were two fairs in May, one in June, then one in September and one in December.
Future events
The next fairs will be in Benalmadena, from April 5 to 7, and then in Mijas from May 17 to 19, both in 2024. After that, there are plans to go to Nerja, Velez-Malaga, Ronda and, after the summer, Rincón de la Victoria and Malaga (city). But that’s all I know so far; we’ll know more when they publish on Sabor a Málaga’s fairs and events page.
Tienda de la estación
There is the Tienda de la Estación (shop of the station – or shop of the season; also a word play here 🙂 ) at Maria Zambrano Train Station. Unfortunately, though, it is located inside th boarding zone of the medium and long distance train, unacessible without a ticket. If you are planning to visit other parts of Spain by train, you can get many of the products available in the fairs there.
Conclusion
If you are traveling on the Costa and can go to a Sabor a Málaga fair, seize the opportunity! Take some products back home to you and your friends; you’ll be taking a bit of the best of the province, while helping local producers of Málaga.
Next: Traveling to the Costa del Sol in the Fall
