Many visitors came to Käerjeng during the weekend to discover the variety of local and regional products exhibited by around 60 different producers from the Grand Duchy, the border region and model regions in Italy, Spain and Poland.

The two venues, Käerjenger Treff and the Brasserie Nationale storage area, enjoyed lively crowds of visitors. Visitors who were very interested to hear about the products on offer from the respective producers before buying them on the spot.

 

In addition to the local products, visitors to “Au Goût Du Terroir” were able to take part in a variety of interesting workshops and tastings at both the Käerjenger Treff cultural centre and the brewery. In addition to changing our diet towards more sustainable consumption and avoiding food waste, the three days of the food festival included showcooking with well-known chefs from Luxembourg, wine, gin and liqueur tastings and other activities that gave visitors an insight into sustainably produced, regional and seasonal products.

Plans for a permanent shop for local products

On the occasion of the official opening of “Au Goût Du Terroir” on Saturday morning, numerous guests of honour from politics and society were present. Emile Eicher, President of the Our Nature Park, that organised this market, together with the two other nature parks of Luxembourg, the municipality of Käerjeng and the PRO-SUD syndicate of municipalities, that manages the Minett UNESCO Biosphere, welcomed the guests. He stressed that after “Meet the makers”, a big market of local producers at the start of the Year of Culture 2007, it was important for the nature parks to support local producers and alternative consumption options also in 2022 with an event in the framework of Esch2022 – European Capital of Culture.

Georges Mischo then took to the podium. In his speech, the president of the PRO-SUD syndicate of municipalities referred to the promotion of local producers, which is one of the main tasks of the Minett UNESCO Biosphere. Indeed, it was as recently as August that “Mmmh… Minett!” was launched, a strategy for the valorisation and traceability of food produced on the territory of Luxembourg’s only biosphere reserve. The further promotion of this local production would remain, in the coming years, a priority of the Minett UNESCO Biosphere, Georges Mischo continued.

The support of local food production was also highlighted by Michel Wolter, mayor of the municipality of Käerjeng, in his speech. In close cooperation with the PRO-SUD syndicate of municipalities and the agricultural producers of the region, the local administration of Käerjeng would like to create a producer shop for local food in the near future. To this end, Michel Wolter announced extensive logistical support from his administration.

At the end of the official opening of the festival “Au Goût du Terroir”, the Minister of Spatial Planning, Claude Turmes, took the floor. Support for the creation of a producer shop would be fully backed by his ministry, Turmes said during his speech, in which he emphasised the importance of promoting the consumption of local and seasonal products from an early age. In this context, he referred to the “Ecole du Goût” of Luxembourg’s nature parks, which will soon move to infrastructures specifically built for taste education.

 

Around 60 exhibitors from 7 countries

The reactions of the exhibitors were also positive, as they were able to easily meet customers at the “Au Goût Du Terroir” market and sell their products to an interested public who had come to Käerjeng over the three days of the market.

The Our and Öewersauer Nature Parks, the Mëllerdall Nature and Geopark, the Municipality of Käerjeng and the Minett UNESCO Biosphere are very satisfied with the response to the first edition of this regional producers’ market. Not only the stands of the food producers were well attended, but also the information stands of the nature parks, the Ministry of Agriculture and the joint “Entdeckt de Minett” stand of the Minett UNESCO Biosphere with the regional tourism office “Visit Minett” and the European Capital of Culture, Esch2022, met with great interest.