Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
December 19, 2025

Gulfood 2026 Expands to Two Mega-Venues, Redefining Global F&B Trade

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Original Source

TLDR

  • Gulfood 2026 offers businesses a first-mover advantage with access to 8,500+ exhibitors and 195 countries to secure partnerships and scale globally ahead of competitors.
  • Gulfood 2026 operates across two Dubai venues spanning 240,000 sqm, organizing 8,500+ exhibitors into sectors like Beverages, Dairy, and new areas like Seafood and Startups.
  • This event fosters global collaboration on sustainable food systems, transparent sourcing, and innovative technologies to improve food security and nutrition worldwide.
  • Gulfood 2026 features India as Official Country Partner with 600+ exhibitors and new participants from Ghana to Sweden in the largest F&B trade footprint ever.

Impact - Why it Matters

This development matters because it represents a pivotal shift in how the global food and beverage industry connects, innovates, and scales. With the F&B market approaching $11.37 trillion and the MENA region leading growth, Gulfood 2026's unprecedented expansion across two venues in Dubai creates a centralized hub for sourcing, innovation, and strategic dialogue. For businesses, investors, and policymakers, this event offers direct access to emerging trends like AI-enabled performance and sustainable sourcing, while facilitating cross-border opportunities in high-growth markets. The inclusion of new sectors and nations, coupled with India's role as Official Country Partner, underscores the event's role in shaping economic frameworks and driving the industry toward a more intelligent, connected future. Ultimately, it accelerates global market access and collaboration at a time when food security, supply chain resilience, and technological integration are critical worldwide.

Summary

The global food and beverage industry is undergoing a transformative era driven by health, technology, sustainability, and AI, with the market projected to reach $11.37 trillion by 2030. At the heart of this momentum is Gulfood 2026, the world's largest and most influential F&B sourcing event, set to take place in Dubai from January 26-30, 2026. This 31st edition marks a historic expansion, becoming the first global food trade event to operate across two mega-venues—Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai—creating a 240,000 sqm footprint that represents the largest F&B trade assembly ever. With over 8,500 exhibitors from 195 countries showcasing 1.5 million+ products, Gulfood 2026 positions Dubai as the global headquarters for a connected, intelligent food economy, featuring strategic alliances with major entities like APEDA India, ApexBrasil, Business France, and industry powerhouses including Americana, Barakat, BRF, and Oatly.

Gulfood 2026 introduces five new sectors and expands its reach with first-time participating nations including Ghana, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, and Rwanda, while established pavilions from Egypt, India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Türkiye, and the USA will occupy their largest footprints to date. The event's dual-venue strategy creates a seamlessly connected universe where buyers can source everything from finished goods and fresh categories to commodities and next-generation technologies in one streamlined journey. India serves as the Official Country Partner, bringing its largest-ever presence with 600+ exhibitors like Amul and MDH, capitalizing on its F&B market's projected 12.4% CAGR growth through 2028. The expansion also features the Gulfood World Economy Summit at DEC, convening CEOs, policymakers, investors, and scientists to reshape global food trade frameworks.

Mark Napier, Vice President Exhibitions at Dubai World Trade Centre, emphasizes that Gulfood 2026 sets the industry's strategic direction as the first major international event to activate both DWTC and DEC, delivering unprecedented scale and visibility. The event transforms into a complete platform for the entire F&B ecosystem, with DWTC hosting sectors like Beverages, Dairy, Meat & Poultry, and the new Seafood and Gulfood Startups sectors, while DEC features national pavilions, bulk commodity trade, and new sectors like Gulfood Fresh, Gulfood Grocery Trade, and Gulfood Logistics. This powerful ecosystem enables strategic networking, cutting-edge insights, and commercially meaningful connections across the global food value chain. For more information and to register at early bird prices, visit www.gulfood.com, and explore insights from sources like the Top Ten Food and Beverage Trends 2025 and the Food and Beverage Market Size, Share & 2030 Trends Report.

Source Statement

This curated news summary relied on content disributed by 24-7 Press Release. Read the original source here, Gulfood 2026 Expands to Two Mega-Venues, Redefining Global F&B Trade

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