Gulfood 2026 set to become Dubai’s largest food trade show

Dubai: Dubai will host the largest edition of Gulfood ever in January 2026, with the global food and beverage exhibition running at two mega venues for the first time. The show will take place from January 26 to 30 at Dubai World Trade Centre and the newly expanded Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai, covering more than 280,000 square metres of sold-out space.

Organisers say this makes Gulfood the first exhibition in the world to operate simultaneously across both venues, marking the debut of the upgraded Dubai Exhibition Centre.

“This is a world-record moment for Gulfood, Dubai and the global food and beverage industry," said Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Dubai World Trade Centre and CEO of KAOUN International. "In a single year, we have achieved 100% growth, delivering the world’s largest annual F&B event across two mega venues simultaneously, a first in global exhibition history. This milestone goes beyond scale to impact, redefining how giga-scale events are designed, delivered and experienced, and proving such ambition is fully achievable and transformative.

"By doubling business volumes and opportunity overnight, Gulfood and Dubai now stand as the indisputable nexus of the new global food trade,” he added.

Record participation from across the global food supply chain

More than 8,500 exhibitors from 195 countries will showcase around 1.5 million food and beverage products during the five-day event. Nearly 40% of them are first-time participants, with new national pavilions from Luxembourg, Maldives, Rwanda, Slovakia, Sweden and Uganda joining the show.

The Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City will host the World Food and Rice, Pulses and Grains sectors, along with three new verticals: Gulfood Fresh, Gulfood Logistics and Gulfood Grocery Trade. These categories highlight growing demand for fresh produce, global logistics and resilient food supply chains.

DP World, Maersk, MSC, Fresh Del Monte, NRTC and Unifrutti are among the confirmed participants for the logistics and fresh food segments.

India takes centre stage as official country partner

India has been named the Official Country Partner for Gulfood 2026, represented by APEDA, and will bring its largest delegation to date with over 600 exhibitors.

“We are excited to be part of Gulfood 2026 as the Partner Country, particularly as the show enters a new chapter with the expansion to Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City," said Abishek Dev, Chairman of APEDA. "As Partner Country, we are committed to strengthening India’s presence in global markets, and Gulfood continues to play a vital role in accelerating our agri-export growth story.”

A growing platform

Dubai World Trade Centre will continue to host core categories including dairy, meat, seafood, beverages and fats and oils. It will also run Gulfood Startups, bringing together more than 250 investors and innovators from over 30 countries.

The exhibition’s Big Deal Hub returns this year, connecting buyers and exhibitors through structured procurement meetings. International food buyers, investment firms and global supermarket chains are expected to attend.