(Photo: Joalpe/Wikimedia) Anyone who visits Belo Horizonte and does not enter the central market cannot say that they have visited the city. Founded in 1929, the market is a gastronomic and cultural hub that offers artisanal cheeses, sweets and other typical Minas Gerais delicacies in its more than 400 stores.Between one cheese bread and another, a dish of pork skin or liver with zillo, the traditional lemonade or a dose of the best cachaça from Minas Gerais, each visitor has the opportunity to learn how the market remains alive and relevant for the people of Bello Horizon.
This authentic experience of BH's daily life and its constant hustle and bustle receives a different birthday present. On the eve of turning 95 years old, one of the city's main postcards will have a new government sponsor. In an unprecedented partnership with KTO Bookmakers, it will have an even broader calendar of events, signage updates, content for social networks and even naming rights actions.
The agreement is the first of its kind in the world. The objective is to further promote the history of the mall and its importance for Minas Gerais culture and traditions.
“Mercado Central is a case of management where there is synergy between the traditional and the contemporary”, said Ricardo Campos Vasconcelos, CEO of Mercado Central. “We are celebrating this moment by starting the centenary in 2029,” he added.
Betting on Minas Gerais, KTO's arrival in the central market reinforces the investment that the company has already made in the state. Investing more and more in Minas Gerais, the platform has become a strong supporter of local content creators and recently a sponsor of the Minas Tênis Clube basketball and volleyball teams.
The partnership with Mercado Central guarantees KTO access to certain commercial properties. Among them are the exclusivity in holding events in priority locations and segments.
“KTO is immensely proud to be able to contribute to the preservation and enhancement of one of Belo Horizonte’s great heritages. This movement further reaffirms our commitment to Minas Gerais and the people of Minas Gerais”, highlighted Casio Filter, the company's country manager in Brazil.
Revitalization of the Hipercentro The negotiation of the right to use the name Mercado Central is another example of Belo Horizonte's recent investment in the Hipercentro. The area has recently undergone a process of revitalization and occupation of almost abandoned sites.
The movement dates back to 2018, when Mercado Novo began acquiring new and more modern establishments on the top floor, which had been vacant for years. After the epidemic, the same situation intensified around Praça Raúl Soares, close to both markets. The region's bars attract Belo Horizonte's youth, always eager for something new.
The business is similar to that of neighboring Minacentro, which shares a block of Avenida Augusto de Lima with Mercado Central. In June, the traditional event space in Belo Horizonte signed a naming rights contract with a company from Minas Gerais that operates in the tourism and corporate events segment, which became known as Beefly Minacentro.