Bangladesh showcases food products at gulfood 2026 in Dubai

The 31st edition of Gulfood – the world's largest international food and beverage trade exhibition is taking place from 26 to 30 January 2026 at two venues simultaneously: Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Exhibition Centre.

The five-day event brings together more than 8,500 leading food and beverage manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, policymakers and industry innovators from over 190 countries. Bangladesh is represented by 72 exhibitors from 34 business entities under the 'Bangladesh Pavilion' at South Hall-12 of Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai.

Gulfood 2026 features more than 1.5 million food products, alongside dedicated showcases for logistics start-ups and grocery solutions. The introduction of AI-powered matchmaking for global food and beverage entrepreneurs and business leaders has added a new dimension to this year's exhibition.

On the opening day, the Bangladesh Pavilion was formally inaugurated by Bangladesh Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Tareq Ahmed. Also present were Consul General of Bangladesh in Dubai, Md Rasheduzzaman; Director (Fairs) of the Export Promotion Bureau, Md Wares Hossain; Commercial Counsellor, Ashish Kumar Sarkar; Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Md Abdul Kader; other officials of the Bangladesh mission; representatives of participating Bangladeshi companies; members of the media; and a large number of visitors.

At the Bangladesh Pavilion, a wide range of products are on display, including processed food items, frozen foods, snacks, spices, rice, beverages, agro-based indigenous products, and other value-added food products.

Participating Bangladeshi companies are engaging with international buyers, marketers, wholesalers, and retailers through business discussions and B2B networking, aiming to establish long-term trade relationships. Representatives of the participating firms expressed optimism that Bangladesh's presence at the five-day international fair would further strengthen the country's position in the global food and beverage sector—particularly in agro-processed food—and open up new export opportunities.

With government policy support, innovative entrepreneurship, competitive agro-based production costs, rapid expansion of the food processing industry, and compliance with international quality and food safety standards, Bangladeshi agricultural and processed food products are now exported to more than 150 countries worldwide. Against the backdrop of growing global demand for affordable, high-quality, and diversified processed food, Bangladesh's export potential in halal and frozen food products is increasing significantly.

In this context, Gulfood serves as a strategic platform for Bangladesh to consolidate its position in international markets and unlock new export opportunities.

Sector stakeholders believe participation in a global exhibition of Gulfood's scale is crucial for expanding exports of local producers, showcasing Bangladesh's capabilities, attracting foreign direct investment, and fostering backward linkage industries such as packaging and labelling. They also see strong prospects for increased investment and job creation through joint ventures and public–private partnerships.

Beyond the ready-made garments sector, participation in Gulfood 2026 is expected to play a vital role in diversifying Bangladesh's export basket and effectively branding the country as a competitive exporter of internationally standard-compliant processed food products, according to sector insiders.