The largest food & beverage trade shows scheduled for 2023

Remaining competitive with the F&B industry can be challenging at times. This is due to the many tasks that need to be completed. This includes forming and maintaining partnerships and raising brand awareness. Additionally, learning about the latest innovations that can aid a company’s development can similarly be problematic. Yet, there are means to achieve such goals without unnecessary complications. One is to attend trade fairs of pivotal importance to the industry and its sectors. Which events should each industry segment attend? The following are some of the largest food and beverage trade shows scheduled for 2023:

Sirha (19.01.2023 – 23.01.2023)

The biannual SIRHA Lyon is one of the must-attend trade shows for the F&B industry. It is a trade fair that attracts over 149,000 visitors and more than 2,100 exhibitors to Euroexpo Lyon. The participants vary from food service providers to F&B manufacturers. They display wares such as food, bakery, confectionary, wines, spirits, café and bar products. Complementing the exhibition, which spans 140,000 m2, is a diversified event schedule. It comprises food demonstrations, roundtables, workshops, and food tours. The presentations often present over 300 new products. Additionally, participants can attend one or more international competitions. Among them are the French Bakery Club and the Trophy of Taste Transmission. Frequently, the sub-events that focus on the latest trends feature speakers from leading companies. Among them are Nestle, Rondo, Bonduelle, McCormick and Le Cordon Bleu. Such enterprises also exhibit their latest solutions at the exhibition.

BIOFACH (14.02.2023 – 17.02.2023)

One of the trend-defining and must-attend trade fairs for the F&B industry is BIOFACH. It is co-located with VIVANESS and is held annually in Messe Nurnberg, Germany. It attracts over 50,000 visitors, more than 3,700 exhibitors, and more than 1,000 journalists. This is due to the event presenting the latest trends affecting the industry. They are displayed via an extensive exhibition which features groceries, raw ingredients, beverages, packaging, and equipment. A diverse range of exhibitors displays such wares. This includes leading companies such as Apeiron, Ackermanns, Bodegas, and YOGI TEA GmbH.

Gulfood Exhibition/Gulfood (20.02.2023 – 24.02.2023)

The Gulfood Exhibition, or Gulfood, is an annual trade fair of pivotal importance to the F&B industry. Held in the Dubai World Trade Centre, it has been a must-attend since 1987. It receives over 5,000 exhibitors, more than 90,000 visitors and more than 200 speakers. It features 120 country pavilions as part of its comprehensive exhibition. It showcases wares from various F&B sectors. These include meat, dairy, fats & oils, health, beverages, grains & cereals, pulses and world foods. Complementing the exhibition are diverse sub-events. They include conferences, sponsorship programmes, recognition-granting ceremonies, networking opportunities, and cooking classes. This results in participation from the whole value chain. This includes F&B manufacturers, nutritionists, chefs, HoReCa professionals, food procurement officials and media. They incorporate leading companies and brands, such as:

IFE (20.03.2023 – 22.03.2023)

IFE, or the International Food and Drink Event, is a trade fair held in ExCeL London. It presents the latest innovations via diverse sub-events that include a detailed exposition with nine segments. There is also a range of themed zones, demonstrations, workshops and recognition-granting ceremonies. Such include the Advice To Go Zone and the International Market Opportunities Forum. This enables participants to study the latest solutions and raise brand awareness. The fair’s annual editions receive over 1,500 exhibitors and more than 30,000 visitors. They represent over 100 countries. Participants include leading companies such as Best Foods, Costco, Nestlé, Mondelez, Kellogg, Lidl, and McVities. They additionally feature Mercadona, Nando's, Subway, Tesco, and PepsiCo. The Coca-Cola Company, The East India Company, Twining's, and Red Bull UK also attend. So do Sainsbury's, Sodexo, SPAR (UK), Unilever, and Starbucks.

ProSweets + ISM (23.04.2023 – 25.04.2023)

ProSweets and ISM are international trade fairs held annually in Messe Munich. They present the latest innovations within the confectionery, snack, and sweets sectors. Over 2,000 exhibitors and over 55,000 visitors attend them, with over 60% of the participants representing a foreign country. More than 100 nations take part in ProSweets and ISM. Each trade show features a diverse schedule that showcases the latest sector-related information. For instance, ProSweets showcases the latest raw materials, packaging, equipment, and automation products. ISM presents the latest snacks, confectioneries, and sweets. The trade fairs showcase, discuss and applaud such products via extensive exhibitions and diverse complementary sub-events. Often, they feature leading companies such as Agriflex, Roshen, and Loyd.

Seafood Expo Global (25.04.2023 – 27.04.2023)

Seafood Expo Global, and the coinciding Seafood Processing Expo, are must-attend events for the seafood-related F&B sectors. They showcase the latest solutions and trends within the associated industry branches at Fira de Barcelona. Such range from innovations to the newest challenges to new methods of addressing consumer trends, such as ease of use. These are presented or examined by representatives of the whole value chain, such as owners, executives, proprietors, programme buyers, high-volume purchasers and manufacturers. This results in annual turnover rates of over 30,000 visitors and more than 1,800 exhibitors from over 70 nations. Additionally, the event features various sub-events to further the professional knowledge of such participants, including over 20 education sessions within the Conference Programme. This allows them to learn about vital topics such as food safety, aquaculture, corporate social responsibility and seafood markets. Often, Seafood Expo Global and Seafood Processing Expo feature as buyers or exhibitors leading companies such as:

Vitafoods Europe (09.05.2023 – 11.05.2023)

Vitafoods Europe is one of the pivotal trade fairs for the nutraceutical sector of the F&B industry. It is an annual trade fair held at the Palexpo in Switzerland. It attracts over 1,200 exhibitors and over 22,000 visitors, including leading companies such as Evonik, Fonterra, Kaneka, Mitsubishi, and DuPont. Such exhibitors and visitors attend to observe the newest innovative products and solutions. These address segments such as ingredients, branded finished products, private labels, and services. These are presented within a comprehensive content schedule. It includes informative lectures on essential topics, such as functional food and beverages.

Anuga (07.10.2023 – 11.10.2023)

Anuga is among the most pivotal for the F&B industry trade shows. It is a biennial trade expo that presents the most recent developments within the sector. Such include innovative manufacturing solutions and culinary concepts. These address the latest challenges, megatrends, consumer preferences, and market opportunities. This is realised via a rigorous event programme that comprises ten one-of-a-kind sub-exhibitions on an event space of 284,000 m2. The categories span all types of food and beverage. Examples include chilled or frozen food products, as well as segments that reflect the current trends. This allows participants to assess the wares of over 4,600 exhibitors, ranging from manufacturers to importers. As a result, over 70,000 visitors attend the biannual event. High internationality is one of the notable marks of the participant group that travels to Messe Cologne. This is due to 92% of the exhibitors and 76% of the visitors representing a foreign country. A total of 169 nations take part in the fair. Frequently, they are represented by leading brands and companies, such as:

IBA (22.10.2023 – 26.10.2023)

The baking and confectionery sector should not overlook attending IBA. It is a premier triennial trade show in Messe Munich that presents novel bakery, confectionery, and food service solutions. They span the whole value chain, including ingredients, raw materials, packaging, and logistics. These are presented by over 1,300 exhibitors and overviewed by over 70,000 visitors who represent the entire value chain. This includes bakers, pastry chefs, food retailers, and manufacturers of production technologies. The visitor and speaker group attending the event also feature such professionals besides HoReCa representatives. These often represent leading companies, such as Agriflex, Nestlé, Mondelez, PepsiCo, and Arysta.

BrauBeviale (28.11.2023 – 30.11.2023)

One of the pivotal trade fairs for the beverage production and marketing sector is the BrauBeviale. It is a must-attend trade fair that is hosted in Messe Nuremberg in years when Drinktec does not take place. It showcases the latest beverage production and marketing innovations. These span segments such as beer, water, non-alcoholic, liquid dairy, wine and spirits production. This includes aspects such as processing, marketing, and beverage sales. Such segments are present on over 44,000 m2 of event space and in over ten exhibition halls. Complementing the exhibition are various sub-events. These include the European Beer Star competition, the Craft Drinks Area, and the BrauBeviale Forum. The event attracts over 1,000 exhibitors and around 40,000 trade visitors. Participants vary from machinery manufacturers to packaging developers to retailers and sommeliers. This includes leading companies, such as:

Fi Europe & Hi (28.11.2023 – 30.11.2023)

Fi Europe & Hi is a central learning, sourcing and brand-raising food and health ingredients platform. It showcases the newest trends, technical know-how, and innovations via the wares of large enterprises, SMEs, and start-ups. The over 800 exhibitors vary from nutrition suppliers to retailers. This includes leading companies like Fonterra, Akzo Nobel, GEA, Cargill, Ingredion, and Kerry. As a result, the fair receives over 17,000 visitors who overview over 15,000 products at the Paris expo Porte de Versailles.