Alimentaria, the leading international platform for food, beverages, food service and hospitality equipment, and one of the main international benchmarks for the sector, will return to Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue from 23 to 26 March 2026, with a 41% increase in international participation compared with the previous edition.
Nearly 1,000 international companies from 70 countries have already confirmed their participation. They account for more than 30% of all exhibitors and represent an 11% increase compared with the previous edition. As in previous editions, Italy again leads international participation with more than 200 firms, including those grouped under the Italian Trade Agency. Following Italy, the countries with the highest number of exhibitors will be China, Turkey, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, France, the Netherlands and Greece, all of which have increased their floor space and exhibitor numbers compared with the previous edition. Participation from the United States has also grown notably. Poland will be the guest country at the 2026 edition, participating with more than 100 exhibitors and 1,200 m2 of exhibition space.
More than 1,500 importers invited
Alimentaria estimates that 25% of the more than 110,000 visitors expected for the next edition will come from abroad. To promote business opportunities in foreign markets, the event has a major buyer invitation programme, organised in collaboration with ICEX, through which it will bring together more than 1,500 importers, distributors, directors and international purchasing managers from more than 80 countries of strategic importance for participating exhibitors.
The programme aims to connect the sector’s main decision- makers: importers, distributors and Horeca operators across hotels, restaurants, retail, cruises and travel services, both in Spain and internationally, with the aim of fostering commercial opportunities and new business partnerships. One of the event’s core features is the matchmaking meetings between invited buyers and exhibitors, which are expected to exceed 14,000. In addition, the event will welcome buyers and importers from the United States, Mexico, China and Hong Kong, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, South Korea, Singapore, Germany and Chile, followed by the main destination markets for Spanish exports in Europe and Latin America.
Alimentaria, with the organic industry
With more than 110,000 visitors, the trade show offers a truly unique opportunity to help transform the industry from within. Those familiar with recent editions will know that the organic sector has long had its own defined space under the “Organic Foods” category, traditionally located in Hall 5 of the exhibition venue. This is not new.
What does mark a significant step forward is the broader, cross-cutting visibility of organic products throughout the entire event. In other areas of the fair, such as Lands of Spain, Grocery or Interlact, all companies with certified organic products will be clearly identified with a dedicated label. The EU organic logo will be visible from the main entrance, continue through producers’ stands across the different halls and sectors, and lead visitors naturally towards the Organic Foods area and La Plaza Eco, the conference and networking space located next to the Pavilion of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and reserved exclusively for organic producers, is set to become the main meeting point for the sector. From there, the organic value chain will gain visibility, coherence and a stronger strategic presence within the fair as a whole.
Article Originally Published in Bio Eco Actual International Yearbok 2025 – Trends 2026.
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Read the Bio Eco Actual International Yearbok 2025 – Trends 2026
