The main objective of this project is to consolidate Mercamadrid's position as a leading European hub in the agri-food sector. The delegate for Economy, Innovation, and Finance of the Madrid City Council and president of the Mercamadrid board of directors, Engracia Hidalgo, along with the delegate councilor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Ángel Niño, visited the facilities.
Hidalgo emphasized that El Hervidero represents "a decisive step in the evolution of Mercamadrid as a major food platform of reference in Europe". She also defended the importance of training and innovation to address challenges such as the digital transformation of companies, improving competitiveness, and generational succession in the sector.
Approved in February 2023, the center features a 1,895 square meter training area, equipped with nine theoretical classrooms and specialized workshop-classrooms for logistics, storage, forklift operation, and trades related to food and commerce. The training offerings will be expanded with programs focused on food trades, digitalization, professional certificates, and executive training.
The complex also includes a multifunctional rooftop terrace for workshops and urban gardens, a technology center with a laboratory, a gastronomic hub, and an events pavilion. In 2025, Mercamadrid's Training Center offered 175 courses to 2,669 students, a 19% increase from the previous year, with over 70% of those trained in butchery and fishmongery finding employment.
Over the past decade, nearly 14,750 individuals have participated in Mercamadrid's training programs, particularly in professions with high labor demand and generational succession challenges in local commerce. The center collaborates with over 45 social entities, including Cruz Roja, Fundación Adsis, and Asociación Trabe, as well as the Employment Agency of the Madrid City Council.
This year, Mercamadrid has launched, in collaboration with ESIC Business & Marketing School, an executive training program focused on the digitalization of food companies.
