Rota do Leite gathers 95 creative products and promises to boost tourism in the Campos Gerais

The Milk Route in the Campos Gerais is gaining new attractions to strengthen the region’s tourism and creative economy. In total, 95 products developed by artisans and small entrepreneurs are undergoing an evaluation process that seeks to transform cultural identity and dairy tradition into memories and experiences for tourists.

The initiative is promoted by Sebrae/PR in partnership with the City of Castro and brings together participants from Castro, Carambeí, Arapoti, Palmeira, Tibagi, Ponta Grossa and Curitiba. The aim is to expand business opportunities and enhance the artisanal production associated with the Milk Route.

Handicrafts and gastronomy gain space in regional tourism

The registered products are part of the Identity Products Formatting Journey of the Milk Route. The program offers training, mentoring, design workshops and guidance on pricing and marketing.

The proposal is to encourage the creation of souvenirs, handmade pieces and gastronomic products that represent the characteristics of the Campos Gerais, allowing visitors to take home memories related to the local history and culture.

According to the consultant of Sebrae/PR, Nádia Joboji, the number of registrations demonstrates the potential of small businesses linked to tourism.

“Having almost 100 products registered from different municipalities shows the creative strength of our territory and the involvement of entrepreneurs in developing products of the Milk Route in the Vale do Leite,” he points out.

The consultant explains that the selection considers criteria such as cultural identity, regional representativeness and connection with the tourist proposal. In the case of foods, the permits and authorisations necessary for marketing are also analysed.

The result of the curatorship is scheduled for November 2026.

Milk Route seeks to integrate municipalities of Campos Gerais

The vice-president of the Municipal Tourism Council of Castro (Comtur), Guilherme Proença, explains that the creation of the Milk Route was inspired by a technical mission held in 2025 to the Valley of the Vineyards, in Rio Grande do Sul.

The experience motivated the construction of a regional project based on one of the main economic vocations of the Campos Gerais: milk production.

“Through a technical mission carried out in 2025 in the Valley of the Vineyards, the intention was to strengthen regional tourism, through singular elements of our region: dairy production, milk and its derivatives”, explains Proença.

According to him, the initiative aims to strengthen not only Castro, but the other municipalities involved in the project, encouraging the integration between tourism, gastronomy, art and entrepreneurship.

Products surprise by creativity and quality

Entrepreneur Melanie Van der Vinne, responsible for the Artelanda store, located at the Castrolanda Cultural Center, in Castro, participated in the curatorship representing the Tourism Working Group of the municipality.

The store sells pieces produced by local artisans and acts as a space for the enhancement of regional culture.

Melanie highlighted that the diversity of the works presented exceeded her expectations.

“I was positively surprised by the variety and creativity of the participants. Many works stood out for their quality and professionalism, for the richness of details and for the diversity of proposals,” he says.

For the entrepreneur, the selected products will be able to expand the possibilities of marketing and make the visitor experience even more meaningful.

Tourism and small businesses can gain new opportunities

The organisers expect the selection to contribute to strengthening the Milk Route as a regional tourist destination, creating opportunities for artisans, gastronomic producers and small entrepreneurs.

In addition to the marketing of souvenirs, the initiative seeks to make the visitor better acquainted with the history of milk production and the cultural diversity of the Campos Gerais.

The list of selected products is expected to be released in November, after the completion of the technical and market evaluation.