The major trade show platform for the food and beverage, foodservice and hospitality equipment industry closes today an edition marked by international participation and business that has once again brought together the entire sector and advanced the industry’s main lines and trends. More sustainable and healthier products, as well as AI and robotics solutions for the Horeca channel have been presented during these days at the event.
More than 3,200 exhibiting companies from 68 countries took part in the event, which concludes today, to encourage business, internationalisation and competitiveness in strategic sectors for the Spanish economy. Just a few hours before the show closed, around 107,900 professionals had visited the show, 25% of them international, from 120 countries. With an estimated economic impact of 180 million euros, the figures for d’Alimentaria & Hostelco reflect the strength of the event, which occupied nearly 100,000 m2 of net exhibition space, almost all of Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Vía venue.
Once again, Alimentaria & Hostelco has established itself as a strategic global event for the internationalisation of its participating companies. This edition was attended by more than 900 international companies, led by Italian companies, and with a remarkable return of Asian companies, especially China, South Korea and Thailand.
The trade fair reaffirmed its leadership by strengthening the complementarity of its represented sectors and offering a great business platform for its professionals. Attendees included 2,200 important buyers invited from strategic markets for the export of food and hospitality equipment, such as the European Union, the USA and Latin America, who took part in some 13,500 meetings with companies.
For Alimentaria’s director, J. Antonio Valls, “this edition has been a resounding success in terms of internationalisation and shows the great convening power of Alimentaria&Hostelco, which has recovered its pre-pandemic figures and attracted buyers from strategic countries such as China. The show has thus consolidated its position as one of the sector’s main international business meetings”.
Functional foods and Artificial Intelligence
Food innovation, gastronomy and the rise of protein, as well as the latest trends in the hospitality sector, were the main features of the programme of more than 350 activities at Alimentaria & Hostelco, in which nearly 700 prestigious experts and chefs took part.
The show was a great showcase for hundreds of innovations, including functional and healthier foods. The digital transformation that the sector is undergoing has also been confirmed and it has been possible to discover how new technologies and artificial intelligence are integrated into the industry and services with robots and new solutions that optimise restaurant management and resources, maintenance, customer service and sustainability.
Alimentaria & Hostelco also showed its most charitable side with the presence of a hundred volunteers from the Fundació Banc dels Aliments (Food Bank Foundation), who collected nearly 20 tones of food and drink donated by exhibitors.
The next edition of the trade fair platform organised by Fira de Barcelona will be held from 23 to 26 March 2026 at the Gran Via venue.
Barcelona, 21 March 2024
Susana Santamaria – Gloria Dilluvio Tel. 93.452.11.04 – 93.233.21.72
ssantamaria@alimentaria.com – gdilluvio@firabarcelona.com