Gulfood 2026 Expands Across Two Venues As Dubai Exhibition Centre Debuts

Gulfood 2026 is set to become the largest edition in the event’s history, with more than 8,500 exhibitors from 195 countries presenting around 1.5 million products. The show will run from 26th to 30th January and doubles its total floor space in one year.

The scale-up includes 40 percent first-time exhibitors and the strongest participation so far from India, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and the United States. Newcomer nations such as Luxembourg, Maldives, Rwanda, Slovakia, Sweden and Uganda also join, widening the global food and beverage mix.

For 2026, Gulfood becomes the first global exhibition to operate at the same time across Dubai World Trade Centre and the expanded Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai. Together, the venues provide more than 280,000 square metres of space, all fully booked.

The upgraded Dubai Exhibition Centre, developed at a cost of US$2.7 billion, debuts globally through Gulfood 2026. It hosts the World Food sector, plus an enlarged Rice, Pulses and Grains area, alongside new zones branded Gulfood Fresh, Gulfood Logistics and Gulfood Grocery Trade.

India is named Official Country Partner for Gulfood 2026, represented by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, with over 600 Indian exhibitors taking part. Dubai World Trade Centre continues to stage beverages, dairy, meat and poultry, seafood, power brands and Gulfood Startups.

Gulfood Startups gathers more than 250 innovators and investors from over 30 countries, highlighting new food technologies and business models. The Big Deal Hub runs alongside, linking global buyers and exhibitors through structured matchmaking to support high-value trade deals across the full food value chain.

Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Dubai World Trade Centre and CEO of KAOUN International, organiser of Gulfood, said, this achievement marks a world-first moment for Dubai and the global food and beverage industry, redefining how large-scale events are delivered and positioning the city at the centre of the evolving global food trade.

With inputs from WAM