Dubai is preparing to host the “Gulfood 2026” exhibition, the largest global event in the food and beverage sector, scheduled for January. The 31st edition of Gulfood is expected to attract over 8,500 exhibitors, showcasing more than 1.5 million products, and featuring extensive international participation from 195 countries. It will also welcome a variety of global government agencies, buyers, distributors, wholesalers, and aspiring startups looking to expand in global markets.
The 2026 edition promises unprecedented growth, with predictions indicating that the global food and beverage market will reach $11.37 trillion by 2030. The Middle East and North Africa are anticipated to experience the fastest growth rates in the sector, prompting companies to increasingly turn to platforms that foster cross-border expansion.
Five Sectors
Mark Napier, Vice President of Exhibitions at Dubai World Trade Centre, stated: “Gulfood 2026 kickstarts the global events calendar in the food and beverage sector as the first and most significant event of its kind for the year, shaping the strategic trends of the industry. As the first international exhibition to be held simultaneously at the Dubai Exhibition Centre and the Dubai World Trade Centre, it offers an unprecedented scale and reach. With the inclusion of five new sectors, Gulfood becomes the sole integrated platform for the food and beverage ecosystem and a strategic destination for brands aiming for growth and innovation in global markets. We look forward to welcoming partners as we embark on a new phase in the development of the global food ecosystem.”
For the first time in the history of global food trade, Gulfood 2026 will take place at two separate venues: the Dubai World Trade Centre and the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai, covering a total area of 240,000 square meters, making it the largest commercial platform in the food and beverage sector to date, allowing for unprecedented regional and international participation.
The Dubai World Trade Centre will showcase rapidly growing sectors, major retailers, and innovative startups, divided into sections for “Beverages,” “Dairy,” “Fats and Oils,” “Meat and Poultry,” and “Leading Global Brands,” as well as two new sections, “Seafood” and “Gulfood Startups,” reflecting the substantial expansion of the global food and beverage startup ecosystem. Conversely, the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai will serve as a high-level global dialogue hub, hosting the most innovative and influential national pavilions, large-scale commodity trade, and important government delegations, as well as key categories including expanded national pavilions, rice, legumes and grains, global food, in addition to three new categories: “Gulfood for Fresh Foods,” “Gulfood for Grocery Trade,” and “Gulfood for Logistics.”
Official Partner
India will make its largest-ever presence at the exhibition as the official partner country, featuring over 600 exhibitors and highlighting its dynamic food economy, with expectations of its food and beverage market growing at a compound annual growth rate of 12.4% until 2028. The 2026 edition will also mark the first participation of various countries and cities, including Ghana, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, the Kurdistan Region, Luxembourg, the Maldives, Qatar, Rwanda, Slovakia, Sweden, and Uganda.