Alimentaria 2028
Barcelona, Spain
Date: March 2028
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Exhibitors: Over 3,300 exhibiting companies from 70+ countries
Visitors: More than 110,000 professionals from 120+ countries
Specialisation and uniqueness: Southern Europe’s most important food exhibition and one of the key events in the international food trade, held every two years in Barcelona. Founded in 1976 as Spain’s first specialised food trade fair, over five decades it has grown into a global industry event that sets the tone for the food market in Southern and Central Europe, Latin America and the Mediterranean region. It is organised by Alimentaria Exhibitions S.A. in partnership with Fira de Barcelona. The exhibition takes place every two years — making each edition a strategic event for which the industry prepares well in advance.
Alimentaria differs fundamentally from most trade fairs in its structure: it is not a general food fair, but a complex of specialised sectors under one roof. Intercarn is Spain’s largest meat exhibition, featuring 350 companies across 15,000 square metres; Interlact is the dairy sector; Expoconser — canned and preserved foods, where Spain is one of the world’s leading exporters and therefore attracts the most serious international buyers; Restaurama — an area for the HoReCa and foodservice sectors; Organic Foods, Alimentaria Trends, Fine Foods — innovative and premium segments. Separately — International Pavilions, where national delegations from around the world are concentrated.
The supporting programme transforms the exhibition into an industry forum. The Alimentaria Hub brings together over 200 experts for discussions on sustainable development, digitalisation and new consumer trends. Innoval — a platform for food innovation since 1998: over 300 new products selected by an independent jury, and the Innoval Awards, which recognise the most market-ready solutions. Food & Hospitality Startups brings together 65 start-ups in direct contact with buyers and investors. The invited buyer programme provides over 14,000 pre-arranged business meetings — confirmed participants include chains such as Walmart, Marks & Spencer, Bidfood, KeHE and PriceSmart.
For Ukrainian producers, Alimentaria is, first and foremost, a gateway to the Spanish and Iberian markets—which remain among the most open to food imports within the European Union—as well as a point of access to buyers from Latin America, for whom Barcelona serves as a natural hub for international procurement. Participating alongside the U-Food Association provides the producer with organisational support and positions them within a recognisable national delegation — which matters when negotiating with major buyers.