News

Students of the Master in Food Design propose new ways to consume Conservas Ortiz, aimed at millennials

Date

08 March 2024

‘El Futuro en Conserva’ [‘Conserving the Future’] is an event organised by students of the Master in Food Design as a kind of experiential journey that takes place across five characteristic moments in the everyday life of the millennial generation

On Friday 1 March, IED Kunsthal Bilbao hosted the event ‘El Futuro de la Conserva’ organised by students of the Master in Food Design, a ground-breaking programme in Spain. This event is the result of the work developed to respond to the challenge posed by Conservas Ortiz, a canned fish and seafood products company par excellence, seeking a generational replacement among the consumers of its escabeches (pickled fish) and sardines.

The 10 guests — including Javier Ortiz, Commercial Director, and Cécile Bourragué, Head of Marketing, both from Conservas Ortiz; Aitziber Atorrasagasti, Director for the Promotion of Culture of the Basque Government; Virginia Matesanz, Director of Innovation of Basque Food Cluster; and Iñaki Vidaurrazaga, Marketing Consultant — along with members of IED Kunsthal — Gaizka Zuazo, Director of the School; Ricardo Ruiz, Teacher and Head of Special Projects; and Sergi Freixes, Master Programme Leader — made several stops on a journey that recreated moments and settings typical of the millennial generation, tasting different variations of the escabeches and sardines.

The guests began the tour with a welcome cocktail based on escabeche, accompanied by sardine chips, before moving on to a “street food” area where they were served a sardine tempura bao from a stall. Thirdly, the attendees moved to a space that emulated an office or work studio, then proceeded to sit around a table with snacks to dip, imitating an informal bite to eat among friends in a domestic and homely setting. Last but not least, the tour concluded with a dinner in the Aula Bar, which was turned into Bistrot Petra, recreating the celebration of a special moment in which the 10 guests shared, experienced and tasted a menu of mackerel in escabeche, txakoli (a local wine), and a chocolate mousse with anchovies.

An event in which the proposals and conclusions helped participants to project the possibilities and opportunities for the future of canned food from the perspective of design.