There is a very big difference between visiting a fair... and experiencing it from within.
This year I had the opportunity to be behind the Mas Fuertes stand at Salón Gourmets. And it is on this side, that of constantly talking to people, observing reactions and explaining the project over and over again, where you truly understand the value of this type of event. Because from the outside, a fair might seem like just an exhibition of products. But from the inside, it's much more than that. Every person who stops is an opportunity (and a challenge).
When you're at a stand, you never know who the next person to stop will be. It could be someone passing quickly. Someone who just wants to taste. Someone asking a very specific question. Or someone who, without saying much, is evaluating if they want to work with you. It's not about delivering a perfect speech. It's about reading the person in front of you. Some want quick information. Some want to understand the project. Some connect with the product... and some connect with the story. And the challenge is to adapt in seconds, without losing the essence.
There's a very specific moment that repeats itself—and that, for me, justifies everything. When someone tastes the oil, wine, or honey... and their face changes. It's a second. But it's very clear. It goes from curiosity to understanding. You're no longer explaining a product. You're sharing an experience. And at that moment, everything behind it—the territory, the process, the way of doing things—becomes tangible. This cannot be replicated with an email.
Every conversation is different. Every person leads you to a new angle. Every question forces you to adjust your discourse. And that's what makes it so interesting. Because you're not repeating yourself. You're constantly building new ways to explain the same project. And that, as someone who enjoys communicating, is a tremendous learning experience. No market study is needed: it's right in front of you. If someone stops longer, you notice it. If an explanation doesn't quite connect, you also notice. If a product surprises, it's evident. And all of this helps you improve in real time.
Being behind the stand also makes you aware of something important: you're not just selling. You're representing. You represent a way of working. A way of understanding time. A relationship with the land. A project with very clear values. And that implies responsibility.
Because the person in front of you doesn't know everything that's behind it. What they see is you. And through you, they build their perception of Mas Fuertes.
