Taste the Place
Local products, rural experiences & sustainable local development
As part of Food & Drinks 2026
Thessaloniki International Exhibition & Congress Center
14–15 November 2026
Day 1 | Saturday, November 14 | 10:00 – 16:30
10:00 – 10:25 Arrival – Registration
10:25 – 10:30 Welcome
10:30 – 10:35 Opening Remarks – President of TIF-HELEXPO, Christos Tsentemeidis
10:35 – 10:45 Opening Remarks – Deputy Regional Governor for Extroversion, Branislav (Bane) Prelević
10:45 – 11:00 Opening Remarks – Representative of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food
From the Product to the Place Experience
11:00 – 11:15 Presentation: From the Product to the Place Experience – The Opportunity, Benefits, and Challenges, Maria Partalidou, Professor, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH)
11:15 – 11:25 Exhibitor Insights – Presentation of Exhibitor Survey Results
11:25 – 11:55 Panel Discussion: Transforming a Local Product into an Authentic Experience and Place Identity
– Panagiotis Papadopoulos, Head & Co-founder, Open Farm
– Nikos Gallios, President, Agroxenia
– Alexis Katsaros, Executive Director, MedINA
– Moderation: Eleni Kampaki, Journalist, ERT
11:55 – 12:05 Live Q&A
12:05 – 12:15 Break
The Story Connecting Product and Place
12:15 – 12:30 Representative of the Product Department, Aegean Airlines
12:30 – 13:00 Panel Discussion: Product Storytelling – Designing the Gastronomic Identity and Destination Experience
– Vaso Giatsidou, Slow Food Farms, Slow Food International
– Vasiliki Kartsiakli, Co-founder, dot2dot
– Maria Doumi, Associate Professor, Department of Economic and Management of Tourism, University of the Aegean, Director of SuReLab
– Moderation: Christina Vraka, Financial Supervisor, Greek Association of Women Entrepreneurs (SEGE)
13:00 – 13:15 Taste the Place Story: Meletios Andrinos, Experiential Activities Coordinator, Karaiskos Farm
13:15 – 13:30 Fishbowl Discussion
13:30 – 13:45 Break
From Producer to Professional Menu
13:45 – 14:00 Presentation: From the Local Product to the Menu and Visitor Experience, Yiannis Papadimitriou, Journalist, Gastronomos – Kathimerini
14:00 – 14:10 Exhibitor Insights – Presentation of Exhibitor Survey Results
14:10 – 14:40 Panel Discussion: From the Local Product to the Professional Menu: Opportunities, Barriers, and Conditions for Collaboration
– Giorgos Gioroudis, Gioroudis Farm
– Grigoris Tasios, Vice President, Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH)
– Paschalis Kaltsidis, Assistant Food & Beverage Manager, Sani Resort
– Moderation: Kostas Giantsios, Journalist, Biscotto.gr
14:40 – 14:50 Live Q&A
14:50 – 15:00 Taste the Place in Practice – Food for All Project
15:00 – 15:10 Break
Xanthi Taste the Place Experience
Local products, flavors, and experiences from Xanthi
15:10 – 15:20 Welcome by the Chamber of Xanthi
15:20 – 15:45 Stories of Producers & Businesses from Xanthi
15:45 – 16:30 Culinary Tasting – Presentation of Local Products and Experiences
Day 2 | Sunday, November 15 | 10:15 – 15:45
10:15 – 10:30 Brief Recap of Day 1
Education and Bridges of Collaboration
10:30 – 11:00 Taste the Place in Practice: Dr. Georgios Sarantavgas, Director, Business Standards & Solutions, GS1 Association Greece “The Transition to 2D Barcodes and New Opportunities for Food and Beverage Businesses”
11:00 – 11:15 Presentation: From Education to Collaboration – Building Bridges Between Producers, Food Service, and Tourism, Dr. Charisia Vlachou
11:15 – 11:45 Panel Discussion: Education, Networking, and Synergies – Prerequisites for a Functional Link Between Production and Hospitality
– Kiki Zinoviadou, Dean, Perrotis College
– Nikolaos Chourvouliadis, Executive Director, The Entrepreneurship Hub, Anatolia American University
– Dimitris Voloudakis, General Programs Director, New Agriculture New Generation
– Moderation: Maria Samolada, Journalist
11:45 – 12:00 Taste the Place Story: Argyro Koutsouradi, Agronomist & Founder, Myrovolos Organics
12:00 – 12:15 Fishbowl Discussion
12:15 – 12:30 Break
Innovation, Quality, and Sustainability
12:30 – 12:45 Presentation: From Innovation to Implementation: The New Model for Sustainable Products and Destinations, Sofia Karampela, Assistant Professor, School of Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH)
12:45 – 12:55 Exhibitor Insights – Presentation of Exhibitor Survey Results
12:55 – 13:25 Panel Discussion: Technology, Quality, and Sustainability in Connecting Place, Product, and Experience
– Katerina Saridaki, Director, CapsuleT Travel & Hospitality Accelerator
– Eleni Kamproudi, Chemist, MS Lead Auditor, TÜV AUSTRIA Hellas
– Eftichios Sartzetakis, Professor of Environmental Economics, Department of Economics, University of Macedonia, Director of RCE–Central Macedonia
– Moderation: Christina Kousouni, Journalist, Naftemporiki TV
13:25 – 13:35 Live Q&A
13:35 – 13:45 Taste the Place in Practice – Interdisciplinary Agri-Food Center of AUTH (KEAGRO AUTH)
13:45 – 14:00 Break
Networks & Tools Paving the Way to the Market
14:00 – 14:15 Presentation: From Local Identity to the Market – Collaborations that Create Value, Maria Emmanouilidou, Agricultural Economist
14:15 – 14:45 Panel Discussion: Networks, Collaborations, and Tools for Promoting Products and Destinations
– Marco Della Puppa, Secretary General, Greek-Italian Chamber of Thessaloniki
– Evangelos Bellos, Senior Manager – Agribusiness Banking, Piraeus Bank
– Polytimi Farmaki, Deputy Regional Governor for Tourism, Culture, and Environment, Region of Western Macedonia
– Moderation: Christina Kousouni, Journalist, Naftemporiki TV
14:45 – 14:55 Live Q&A
14:55 – 15:05 Taste the Place in Practice – Anatolia
15:05 – 15:15 Taste the Place in Practice – Dr. Eleni Athanasiadou, Laboratory Teaching Staff (EDIP), School of Agriculture, AUTH | Scientific Coordinator, MED-GIAHS
15:15 – 15:25 Taste the Place in Practice – OFELIA Project
15:25 – 15:35 Taste the Place in Practice – EIT Food Hub Greece, Democritus University of Thrace
15:35 – 15:45 Closing Remarks
