Alimentaria+Hostelco breaks records for its 50th anniversary
The event kicks off tomorrow with the celebration of Alimentaria's 50th anniversary and is increasing its focus on the Horeca channel. The Fira de Barcelona trade show is growing in exhibitors and becoming a meeting point for the global food industry and innovation.
This Monday, March 23, and running until March 26, 2026, the Gran Via venue of Fira de Barcelona will host an edition marked by the 50th anniversary of Alimentaria, created in 1976 as the first major professional trade fair in Spain dedicated exclusively to the food industry. Fifty years later, the event, together with Hostelco, will bring together its offerings in 100,000 m² spread across seven pavilions, with 3,300 participating companies. Alimentaria+Hostelco is taking a leap forward in internationalization this year. With more than 1,200 companies from 70 countries, it has broken its record, increasing the number of companies from outside Spain by 30% and the space they occupy by 40% compared to the last edition, now representing 36% of the total. Europe (with Poland as Country of Honor), Latin America, and North America have a strong business presence, reinforcing the trade fair's strategic importance as a meeting point for the global food industry.
With the aim of boosting access to new markets and maximizing business opportunities, the organizers, in collaboration with ICEX, have invited 1,500 major buyers and importers from 100 countries, as well as 1,200 from Spain, with the expectation of exceeding 14,500. The event will also bring together large corporations, SMEs, and family businesses from all over Spain. Added to this is the loyalty of companies that have supported the trade fair throughout its 50-year history, such as bonÀrea, Coca-Cola, Dani, Danone, Damm, Elgorriaga, Helios, Idilia Foods, Lacasa, Noel, Santiveri, and Ybarra, exemplifying the strength and continuity of the food industry. All of Spain's autonomous communities will also be represented, led by Catalonia, Castile and León, Andalusia, Madrid, the Valencian Community, and Murcia, reflecting the strength and territorial diversity of the food industry.
For Alimentaria's president, Antoni Llorens, "This is a very special edition. After 50 years, the leading event for one of the country's most powerful industries continues to consolidate its position as the major meeting point where the sector energizes its large companies and opens new opportunities and markets, addressing future challenges in an increasingly complex and changing international context."
The event is structured into different specialized areas. Intercarn will once again be the largest, with 350 companies in 15,000 m², representing 25% of the total. The offerings are rounded out by areas such as Organic Foods and La Plaça Eco, Alimentaria Trends and Fine Foods, focused on innovation and added value; Grocery Foods, which brings together the fair's most diverse offerings; and Coffee, Bakery & Pastry, which, in its second edition, has doubled its space. in addition to Interlact, Lands of Spain, Snacks, Biscuits & Confectionery, Expoconser, Restaurama and International Pavilions.
The Alimentaria Hub will bring together more than 200 national and international experts in forums and seminars on sustainability, digitalization, food safety, and new consumption habits. The Innoval space will showcase more than 300 innovations driven by the transformation of consumption habits, the growing interest in healthier options, the commitment to sustainability, and the search for unique gastronomic experiences. In addition, some 60 companies will participate in Food&Hospitality Startups, a program focused on entrepreneurship and the launch of disruptive solutions: functional foods, plant-based proteins, and AI applications for personalized nutrition.
The second edition of the Agri-food Summit, organized by the Incyde Foundation of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and the Mediterranean Diet Foundation, will bring together business leaders and institutional representatives, along with social actors and international experts, to discuss the strategies that should guide the sector in a profoundly transforming global market, with a special focus on the recent agreements of the European Union.
The Horeca channel gains prominence
This edition is also marked by the strengthening of the Horeca channel offering, which increases its space by 40% compared to the last edition, occupying 20,000 m² and featuring more than 600 leading companies in equipment, hospitality, and the retail and the foodservice
According to Hostelco President Pere Taberner, "the significant increase in space dedicated to this channel demonstrates the event's clear commitment to boosting the current dynamism of a sector that is key to the food and hospitality industry."
In this regard, the event is launching a program that will combine innovation, digitalization, gastronomy, and trend analysis in activities aimed at professionals in the foodserviceThe Imagine Foodservice Europe conference, organized in conjunction with Marcas de Restauración (Restaurant Brands), will address the main challenges and value of branded restaurants. The Shift, the new strategic knowledge space, will present real-world case studies, market analysis, and high-impact content to understand the keys to the future of the industry. foodserviceFinally, The Bakery & Pastry Hub and The Coffee Stage will foster innovation in bread, pastry, chocolate, ice cream, and coffee, with the participation of renowned professionals such as Antonio Bachour, Lucas Crusellas, Miguel Guarro, Nikita Harwich, and Ramón Garwi. The Coffee Opportunity, designed to promote a strategic vision for coffee within the Horeca channel, and the Best Bread Award, presented by Alimentos de España (Foods of Spain), will be two of its highlights.