Today, from January 26 to 30, the «Gulfood 2026» exhibition is taking place, the largest platform in the region for production, manufacturing, and packaging of food products. This is the first exhibition to be held simultaneously across two main venues: the Dubai World Trade Centre and the new and expanded Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai. In its 31st edition, the exhibition attracts over 8,500 exhibitors, showcasing more than 1.5 million products, alongside extensive international participation from 195 countries. The event creates opportunities for business with global leaders and innovators in the food and beverage sector, and facilitates field surveys with exhibitors and visitors to discuss trends, challenges, and breakthroughs in the food industry. «Gulfood» is the first and largest event for food supply and innovation in 2026, offering a doubled, futuristic, and unprecedented range of products, sectors, and innovations. At the Dubai World Trade Centre, high-growth sectors, retail leaders, and startup innovations are featured across beverages, dairy, fats and oils, meat and poultry, major brands, and two new sectors for this year: seafood and a zone for startups. Meanwhile, at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, the focus is on national pavilions, key product categories, and prominent industry delegations. It will also feature three new sections: «Gulfood Fresh», retail trade, and «Gulfood» for logistics services. Key events at «Gulfood 2026» include the «Gulfood» Summit for the Global Economy at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, an exclusive gathering of global CEOs, ministers, and visionaries to redefine the future of food through strategic insights and international cooperation. Also on the agenda is the «Future of Food 500» conference at the Dubai World Trade Centre, a four-day knowledge hub that highlights innovators, startups, and visionaries driving the digital transformation of the global food industry. The «Gulfood Next» platform at the Dubai World Trade Centre serves as a launchpad for promising food and beverage startups to present their innovations to an audience of investors, mentors, and strategic partners. The «Dubai Global Kitchen» platform at the Dubai World Trade Centre brings together Dubai's top chefs, Michelin-recognized establishments, and globally acclaimed culinary concepts in an immersive and vibrant experience, showcasing Dubai as a leading global culinary hub. «Gulfood 2026» is also set to launch the «Gulfood for Retail» platform, designed specifically to serve the fast-moving consumer goods, brands, and grocery stores that form the core of the region's food economy. This step aligns with the rapid expansion of retail and wholesale grocery trade in the Middle East, reflecting major shifts in the food and beverage ecosystem. The platform's events will run from January 26 to 30, 2026, at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai, to highlight the growing strategic importance of grocery retail in ensuring product availability, price stability, and supply chain resilience across the GCC and regional markets. Meanwhile, Dubai Industrial has announced its participation in «Gulfood 2026» to highlight its pivotal role over more than two decades in supporting and developing the food and beverage sector, enhancing its regional and global competitiveness through an integrated industrial ecosystem that combines advanced infrastructure, smart logistics, and an innovation-friendly business environment. Dubai Industrial is home to over 1,100 clients from leading global and regional companies, alongside 350 operational factories, including prominent food and beverage brands such as «Bateel» and «Barka Dates», as well as the Indian company «Himalaya Wellness», which is establishing its first factory outside India to produce herbal pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements in Dubai Industrial. Emirates Flight Catering has announced expansion plans in commercial food services beyond its core airline catering operations, leveraging its expertise and capabilities to set new standards of excellence in the field. This platform is a specialized event that highlights fruits, vegetables, and supply chains for perishable products, shaping the future of food in the region. In line with these plans, Emirates Flight Catering and Bustanck will participate for the first time in «Gulfood 2026», presenting an expanded portfolio of food service solutions for retail, hospitality, and catering partners. Emirates Flight Catering will showcase a range of products designed for large-scale and complex environments, drawing on its extensive experience in supplying major global exhibitions, sporting events, and large-scale hospitality operations. Bustanck, the world's largest vertical farm, will unveil several new product lines designed for the modern fast-paced lifestyle while highlighting its philosophy of delivering the best products. «Gulfood 2026» has announced the launch of the «Gulfood Fresh» platform at the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) in Expo City Dubai from January 26 to 30, 2026, in line with the growing investments in the Middle East region in enhancing food security, supply chain resilience, and moving towards sustainable sources.
