Food and beverage events in the UAE 2026–27: Gulfood and the rest

The UAE's food and beverage trade shows cluster between October and March, and almost all of them run at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). The season has two peaks. The first is the week of 3–5 November 2026, when Gulfood Manufacturing and three co-located shows fill DWTC. The second is Gulfood itself, which moves to 15–19 March 2027 after running 26–30 January in 2026.

Between those peaks sit smaller specialist events: agriculture in October, food safety and organic products in November, and specialty coffee in January. Hospitality buyers get a late show in June. atndr lists 11 upcoming food and beverage events in the UAE as of October 2026: ten in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi.

Dates are as the organizers list them for these editions (checked October 2026). The always-current list is on atndr's UAE food and beverage events page.

Choose by where you sit in the supply chain. Gulfood is for buying and selling finished food and drink. Gulfood Manufacturing is for the factory side: ingredients, machinery and packaging. The specialist shows suit buyers who want one category without walking a whole exhibition centre.

Gulfood: sourcing finished products

Gulfood 2027 runs 15–19 March 2027 at Dubai World Trade Centre and the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai. Opening hours are 10:00 to 18:00 from 15 to 18 March and 10:00 to 17:00 on 19 March. The 2026 edition was the first to use both venues at once. Its organizer reported more than 8,500 exhibitors from 195 countries, 1.5 million products and 280,000 square metres of space, and added new sectors for fresh produce, logistics and grocery trade. Gulfood suits importers, distributors, retail and foodservice buyers, and exporters looking for Gulf and wider regional buyers.

Gulfood Manufacturing and its co-located shows

Gulfood Manufacturing 2026 runs 3–5 November 2026 at DWTC. Processing and packaging take Halls 1–4, Za'abeel Halls 1–3, the Trade Centre Arena and the Sheikh Saeed Halls. Ingredients take Halls 5–9, the Pavilion and the Sheikh Maktoum and Sheikh Rashid Halls. The organizer reports 61,907 industry professionals and more than 2,500 exhibitors from 79 countries for its 2025 edition. It suits production managers, R&D and formulation teams, packaging buyers and plant engineers.

Three shows share the same dates and venue:

• ISM Middle East 2026 (Za'abeel Halls 4–5) covers confectionery, snacks, biscuits, ambient bakery and frozen desserts, for retailers, distributors and importers.
• GulfHost 2026 (Za'abeel Hall 6) covers commercial kitchens, refrigeration, tableware and furnishing for hotels, restaurants, cafés and caterers.
• Private Label Middle East 2026 (Za'abeel Hall 1) connects retailers and distributors with manufacturers that produce under the buyer's own brand.

Abu Dhabi: animal protein

VIV MEA 2027 (23–25 November 2027, ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi) is the regional edition of the VIV feed-to-food shows, for feed mills, poultry, dairy and livestock producers and animal-health suppliers.

Specialist shows

Growtech Middle East 2026 (26–28 October 2026, Hall 8, DWTC) is the agriculture show: crop production, livestock, aquaculture, smart farming and water management. Middle East Organic and Natural Products Expo 2026 (16–18 November 2026, DWTC) is for buyers of organic, natural and halal products. The 20th Dubai International Food Safety Conference (16–17 November 2026, DWTC), run by Dubai Municipality, is for regulators, food safety managers, labs and researchers. AgriNext 2026 (21 October 2026, Crowne Plaza Dubai Deira) is a one-day agri-tech conference. World of Coffee Dubai 2027 (26–28 January 2027, Za'abeel Halls, DWTC) brings together growers, roasters, equipment makers and café buyers. Its visitor ticket covers the show floor, lectures, the championship area, the brew bar, the cupping room and the roaster village. The Hotel Show Dubai 2027 (1–3 June 2027, DWTC) covers HORECA, hospitality technology and operating supplies for hotel and restaurant buyers.

Go to Gulfood if you buy or sell food and drink as products. Go to Gulfood Manufacturing if you make them. The two shows split the industry by stage, not by category, so the same company can send different people to each.

A trade exhibition like these is a show floor for meeting suppliers and buyers, not a conference you sit through. Both run talks and awards, but the value is in the meetings. If you want the difference between formats explained, see our guide to conferences, exhibitions, summits and workshops. For the wider industrial calendar, including packaging and printing shows such as Gulf Print & Pack 2027, see manufacturing events in the UAE.

Register online before you travel. These are trade-only events, and the DWTC-organized shows set strict entry rules.

• Trade only, 21 and over. Gulfood Manufacturing's admission policy says the event is strictly for trade and business professionals. The general public and anyone under 21 are refused entry. Gulfood 2027's visitor form also asks you to confirm you are 21 or older.
• Registration is compulsory. Gulfood Manufacturing's policy says the organizer may ask for proof that you work in the industry before issuing a badge. Badges are non-transferable.
• Bring photo ID. Carry a passport, national ID card or photo driving licence. The organizer may ask to see it.
• No trolley bags. Gulfood Manufacturing and Private Label Middle East ban trolley and luggage bags in the halls.
• Prices vary by show. Growtech Middle East advertises free visitor registration. World of Coffee Dubai sells visitor tickets, and its 2027 visitor registration had not opened as of October 2026. Gulfood and Gulfood Manufacturing publish registration forms, not a price list, on their home pages, so check the fee when you register.

Register with a company email and your real job title. Gulfood Manufacturing says it checks visitors so that only trade professionals attend, and may refuse entry.

Start from what you need to buy or sell, then check the date and the hall.

1. Match the show to your stage. Finished products point to Gulfood. Ingredients, lines and packaging point to Gulfood Manufacturing. One category, such as coffee, snacks or organic products, points to the specialist show.
2. Use co-location. On 3–5 November 2026, one DWTC badge day can cover manufacturing, snacks, foodservice equipment and private label. Check whether one registration covers all four before you register four times.
3. Plan meetings in advance. Read the exhibitor list on the organizer's site, and book meetings before the show rather than hoping to catch people on the day.
4. Book hotels early for Gulfood. Several shows run at once in busy weeks, so rooms near DWTC fill up. Gulfood 2027 also uses Expo City, a long drive from DWTC, so check which venue your sector is in before you choose a hotel.
5. Know the rules on samples and entry. Read the admission policy of the show you attend. It covers age limits, ID and food samples.

Travelling from abroad? Our guide to business events in Dubai covers the venues, transport and what to sort out before you fly.