ICEX España’s FWS Academy Shortlisted at International Wine Challenge Industry Awards for the Best Wine Training Program Award

The finalists for the 2023 International Wine Challenge Industry Awards have been announced! The 8th edition of these prestigious awards will be held on November 6th in Madrid.

In the Best Wine Training Program category, ICEX FWS Academy is up for the distinction and is competing against Outlook Wine and the Universitat Rovira I Virgili University, located in Tarragona (Catalonia).

FWS Academy courses

The FWS Academy offers two training courses, the Spanish Wine Certificate and Spain's Pantry Certificates.

In the wine courses, two certifications are awarded: the Spanish Wine Specialist (SWS), designed for opinion leaders (journalists and sommelier school teachers), importers, sommeliers, HoReCa professionals, and wine lovers; and the Spanish Wine Educator, aimed at both sommelier school teachers and professionals in the sector.

The training in Spanish products and gastronomy includes two qualifications: Spain's Pantry Certificate, developed for journalists, gastronomy school teachers, importers, chefs, HoReCa channel professionals, and foodies; and the Hospitality Training Certificate, designed for executive chefs, sous chefs, and executives of large hotel chains, cruise lines and food & beverage managers.

Since their launch in 2021, the Spanish wine training courses have attracted more than 400 qualified professionals, 41.8% from Europe, 29.6% from the Americas, and 28.6% from Asia.

The gastronomy courses have accumulated more than a hundred professional students, 44.2% from Europe, 29.8% from the Americas, and 26% from Asia, making training one of the basic pillars of ICEX's promotion of the image of excellence and diversity of the Spanish food industry.

The event will include the awards ceremony as part of a gala dinner as well as a series of short presentations by sommeliers, distributors, and winemakers, along with wine tastings.

ICEX is also sponsoring the Best International Marketing Campaign at the awards.