The global food and beverage industry is undergoing transformative change driven by health, technology, sustainability, transparent sourcing, and AI-enabled performance. With the global market projected to reach $11.37 trillion by 2030 according to the Food and Beverage Market Size, Share & 2030 Trends Report, and the MENA region recording the world's fastest growth rate, businesses require platforms offering scale, intelligence, and cross-border opportunities. Gulfood 2026 emerges as the first major sourcing event of the year, expanding across two mega-venues to position Dubai as the global headquarters of a connected, intelligent food economy.
The 31st edition will feature over 8,500 exhibitors, 1.5 million products, and participation from 195 countries. Strategic government and industry alliances include Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) India, Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), Business France, Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, Dubai Holding, ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, Meat & Livestock Australia, and National Aquaculture Group (NAQUA) Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Major industry participants include Americana, Barakat, BRF, Camelicious, Fresh Del Monte, Fage, JBS, Maersk, Monin, and Oatly, alongside investors, unicorns, buyers, distributors, wholesalers, and innovative startups.
Mark Napier, Vice President Exhibitions Department at Dubai World Trade Centre, stated that Gulfood 2026 opens the global F&B calendar as the first and most influential sourcing event, setting the industry's strategic direction. As the first major international event to activate both Dubai Exhibition Centre and Dubai World Trade Centre, it delivers unprecedented scale and visibility across five new sectors, creating a complete platform for the entire food and beverage ecosystem. For the first time in global food trade history, a sourcing event will operate at full scale across Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai, expanding to 240,000 square meters.
This dual-venue expansion creates a seamlessly connected universe enabling buyers to source finished goods, fresh categories, commodities, national pavilions, innovations, and next-generation technologies in a streamlined journey. The expansion serves as a strategic anchor to extract greater value from adjacent, high-growth domains across the food ecosystem. New exhibiting nations for 2026 include Ghana, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kurdistan Region, Luxembourg, Maldives, Qatar, Rwanda, Slovakia, Sweden, and Uganda. Major pavilions from Egypt, India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Türkiye, and the USA will expand to their biggest footprints. New exhibitors will come from across the globe and every sector, including Choco, Bustanica, Farm Frites, MSC, Ostrich Oasis, and RANA.
Dubai World Trade Centre will host high-growth sectors, retail powerhouses, and startup innovation across Beverages, Dairy, Fats & Oils, Meat & Poultry, Power Brands, and two new sectors for 2026: Seafood and Gulfood Startups. Dubai Exhibition Centre will feature innovative national pavilions, bulk commodity trade, strategic government delegations, procurement hubs, and global dialogue, including Extended National Pavilions, Rice, Pulses & Grains, World Food and three new sectors: Gulfood Fresh, Gulfood Grocery Trade, and Gulfood Logistics. The DEC will host the Gulfood World Economy Summit, convening CEOs, policymakers, investors, visionaries, scientists, academics, and leaders to reengineer the world food economy.
India enters as Official Country Partner with its F&B market projected to grow at 12.4 percent CAGR through 2028 according to India's Food and Beverage (F&B) Sector Analysis [2025], delivering its largest-ever presence with over 600 exhibitors including Amul, Everest, MDH, Mother Dairy, and Rasna. These platforms will transform Gulfood 2026 into an ecosystem for strategic networking, cutting-edge insights, and commercially meaningful connections across the global food value chain.
