The Interprofessional Agri-food Organization for Sheep and Goats (INTEROVIC) has been awarded the 2025 Spanish Food Award for Best Promotional Campaign, granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for the “El Paquito” campaign, a sandwich made with suckling lamb or kid goat that, since 2019, has transformed the perception of this meat, generated new consumption occasions, and become a gastronomic and communications phenomenon.
With this recognition, the Ministry distinguishes a campaign that has successfully combined innovation, creativity, and collaboration across the entire value chain (livestock farmers, industry, butchers, and restaurants) to bring the production of our sector closer to a younger consumer, generating a promotional model that is now a benchmark within the Spanish agri-food sector.
A campaign that has created a new way to consume lamb
Launched in 2019 as a response to the need for By revitalizing lamb consumption and highlighting a cut as versatile as the leg steak, El Paquito has transformed a traditional product into a modern, accessible option adapted to new consumption habits. The campaign focused on a simple concept: a sandwich made with suckling lamb, lamb, or kid goat meat, which each establishment interprets with its own style, encouraging the hospitality industry to embrace the project and multiplying its reach.
Far from being a conventional advertising campaign, INTEROVIC developed a collaborative strategy in which the hospitality sector became the initiative’s main ambassador, while the interprofessional organization promoted communication, promotional materials, and outreach activities to consolidate the brand throughout Spain.
Recognition of a pioneering strategy
The jury particularly valued the innovative nature of a campaign that has created a new occasion for enjoying lamb, boosted sales, and strengthened the link between production, distribution, and restaurants.
Since its launch, El Paquito has become a classic in hundreds of bars and restaurants across Spain. The campaign has shown that nearly 40% of establishments participating in the campaign keep the sandwich on their menus after the promotion ends, solidifying it as a regular offering for their customers.
Furthermore, according to a consumer habits study by IKERFEL, 5.6 million Spaniards already recognize the El Paquito brand, while the demand generated by the initiative has contributed to increasing the presence of new lamb options in distribution channels and butcher shops.
The Best Paquito in Spain
In addition, the campaign continues with the Best Paquito in Spain competition, an event that recognizes the creativity and talent of the hospitality industry in reinterpreting this iconic sandwich made with suckling lamb, lamb, or kid goat. The regional winners of the 2026 edition, who will compete for the national title, are Pacto Raíz (Madrid), Contracorrent (Catalonia), Maestro Bar (Valencian Community), La Cerdanya (Murcia), Vaova Gastro (Extremadura), and El Ambigú (Aragon), while the representatives of Castilla-La Mancha and Navarra will be announced during the month of August. The grand final will take place on September 28th in Madrid, where the Best Paquito in Spain 2026 will be chosen.
Communication, Hospitality, and Rural Development
One of the campaign’s distinguishing features has been its ability to involve all stakeholders in the sector in a 360º communication strategy, combining actions in media, social networks, outdoor advertising, public relations, gastronomic events, and institutional collaborations.
Over the years, the campaign has reached over 4 million unique users, generated 846 organic media mentions with a cumulative audience of over 250 million people, and achieved an estimated return on investment of over €15 in media value for every euro invested in communication.
Beyond the communication results, El Paquito has helped to highlight the value of domestically produced meat, support the work of thousands of livestock farmers, boost the hospitality industry, and strengthen the role of sheep farming and the… Goat farming as an economic driver in rural areas, promoting a consumption model that benefits the entire agri-food chain.
“This award recognizes the collaborative work of farmers, marketers, butchers, chefs, and restaurateurs who have made it possible for El Paquito to evolve from a campaign into a movement capable of bringing suckling lamb, lamb, and kid goat to a new generation of consumers. It is recognition for the entire sector and an incentive to continue innovating and highlighting the value of one of the great These are some of the best products from our country,” says Raúl Muñiz, president of INTEROVIC.
INTEROVIC has received this award for the second time in the Promotion category of the Spanish Food Awards. The first was awarded in 2018 for the campaign “Suckling Lamb, Lamb and Kid Goat Meat. Sustainable and Natural,” an initiative aimed at highlighting the value of sheep and goat farming as an essential activity for rural development, emphasizing its contribution to environmental sustainability, social cohesion, and the economic revitalization of our regions.
