Eleven mills of the islands dispute the best gofio

The eleventh edition of the Official Competition of Agro-Canadian Gofios 2025, organized by the Government of the Canary Islands through the Canary Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA) in collaboration in this edition with the Cabildo of La Palma, started today Wednesday, 30 of July, with the participation of 41 samples from eleven mills in the Canary Islands competing to win the award for Best Gofio in the Canary Islands.

During the development of the contest, inaugurated by the director of the ICCA, Luis Arraez Guadalupe, the advisor to the Presidency, Public Administrations, Justice and Security of the Canary Islands Executive, Nieves Lady Barreto; the president of the Cabildo of La Palma, Sergio Rodriguez; the mayor of Breña Baja, Borja Pérez and the insular Minister of Agriculture, Alberto Paz, at the H10 Taburiente hotel in Los Cancajos, the tasting panel assesses, through a blind tasting system, the participating productions and determines with their scores which are the creations awarded with each distinction, as well as the productions worthy of the great gold medals, gold medals or silver medals in each of the four different categories: wheat, corn, mix of both, and gofios made from other cereals and/or legumes.

According to the director of the ICCA, Luis Arraez Guadalupe, “This contest is a way to recognize the quality of these preparations and the know-how of the master millers of the Canary Islands., and constitutes a promotional tool that contributes to maintaining activities linked to the primary sector and, in this case, gofio as an emblem of our traditional gastronomy and our identity”.

In addition, in the field of actions to promote the consumption of this production, Minister Nieves Lady Barreto especially highlighted the educational program 'El gofio, olympic breakfast, developed by the regional Executive through GMR Canarias. “Since the launch of this initiative last year, more than 1.500 schoolchildren from 19 Educational centers in the Canary Islands have participated in this project that seeks to raise awareness among schoolchildren about the importance of opting for a healthy diet based on the consumption of local products and the practice of sports., with special emphasis on gofio, insisting on its numerous nutritional benefits and with the Olympic athlete Mario Pestano as ambassador”, commented.

The president of the Cabildo of La Palma, Sergio Rodriguez, He recalled that gofio has transcendental historical importance in the Canary Islands, being much more than just food, “It is a fundamental pillar of cultural identity, gastronomic and social of the archipelago”, also, thanked “the passion for keeping this food alive, a sign of Canarian identity” of all the millers and millers.

For your part, the mayor of Breña Baja, Borja Perez, pointed out the deep-rooted tradition municipal mill and expressed his hope that the holding of the contest in The Palm serve as an impetus for, next year, the producers of the island participate again, after his absence in this edition. In this sense, the first mayor recalled that La Palma is the third gofio producing island in the Archipelago, which reinforces their potential and commitment to this traditional food, closely linked to local identity and culture.

Regarding participation by islands, of the 41 samples participating in this call, a total of 20 correspond to companies from Gran Canaria, 12 They are from Tenerife, 4 from Lanzarote, 3 from Fuerteventura and El Hierro has presented 2 samples.

The preparations best rated by the panel of specialists through a blind tasting system, that is to say, without knowing the production valued at each moment, They will compete for the distinctions 'Best gofio in the Canary Islands', which can only fall on production with Protected Geographic Identification (IGP); 'Best organic gofio', among those registered in the List of Organic Agriculture Operators of the Canary Islands; and 'Best local grain gofio', to which only those made entirely with grains from the Archipelago that have achieved the highest score in all categories will be eligible..

Besides, Participating mills will also be eligible for the 'Best Image and Presentation' awards.; 'Best salt-free gofio in the Canary Islands'; 'Best gofio chosen by our elders', which will be awarded by a consumer panel made up of members of the Guardia Roldán senior associations, Galguitos and Puntallana; and the 'Distinction of the children's jury', which will recognize the production best scored by a tasting panel made up of boys and girls from 4th to 6th grade of Primary Education, selected from different schools in the region.

Apart from these seven distinctions, The jury will award medals to the productions with the highest ratings so that, as long as they reach at least 80% of the points stipulated in the tasting sheet, will be distinguished with the great gold medal. Those that achieve at least the 75% of the stipulated points will receive a gold medal and those who add at least one 65%, they will get a silver medal.

Among the participating productions are the different varieties of gofio made in the Canary Islands with cereals and/or legumes or their mixtures., by mills on the islands that have the corresponding health authorization (RGSA about RADCOM), that are present in commercial channels, and that respond to their own commercial brands.

This contest is part of the policy of fostering and promoting Canarian products of differentiated quality developed by the Government of the Canary Islands and is part of the actions launched by the Ministry of Agriculture, Cattle raising, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty and the Canarian Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA) to promote production, marketing and consumption of Gofio Canario, which has the European quality seal Protected Geographical Identification (IGP) from 2014, distinctive that represents product protection worldwide, while providing undeniable added value.

Go remember, an export product

Since the establishment of the IGP, The total production of gofio has grown in the Canary Islands by 18,7% with a record of 5,68 million kilos of 2014 until the 6,74 million kilos registered in 2024, of which were destined for export around 1,7 million.

Regarding production by island, the capital ones stand out – Gran Canaria with 3,48 and Tenerife with 2,5 million kilos- while in third place in terms of volume produced in 2024 La Palma was located, reaching 846.000 kilos, with almost three quarters of them made from wheat.

In the entire Archipelago the 58% of gofio made in the Canary Islands is made from millet and, in order of importance, They follow the wheat one with a 20%, cereal mix, which represents the 16%, and mixture of cereals and legumes, With a 4%. Although the most demanded varieties are cereals (corn, wheat, barley, centeno, avena, rice, spelled and millet), There is also a small production based on three species of legumes: length, soy and chickpea; while, in the Amaranthaceae group, although in a very minority way, The only species used to make this product is quinoa.