Spices, meat, cheese, and other tastes of Spain coming to Reading Terminal Market

A shop selling cheese, meat and other gourmet food imported from Spain will open later this year in Reading Terminal Market.

The store, “A Taste of Spain,” was the winning applicant in a contest held this spring to determine the market’s newest permanent merchant. The winners, Vanesa Peredo and Alejandro Fernandez, are co-owners of TortiYeah, a tapas business that currently operates in one of the market’s day stalls.

The “Fresh Food Fight,” launched in April, invited applicants to submit ideas for fresh food or grocery concepts. Four semi-finalists were chosen last month to present samples to a panel of judges, and answer questions about their proposals.

The market also is offering $10,000 to be used toward fit-out costs, provided that Peredo and Fernandez sign a lease for a space at the market.

Applicants were encouraged to pitch ideas that differed significantly from businesses that already exist in the market. A Taste of Spain will offer products like olive oils, pickled vegetables, spices, nuts, and specialty items like ibérico ham, quince paste, and sherry vinegar.