Gulfood 2027 Dates — Mar 15-19 Dubai DWTC | Food & Beverage Stand Builder

Gulfood 2027 takes place 15-19 March 2027 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), United Arab Emirates. Organised by DWTC, Gulfood is the world's largest annual food and beverage exhibition — the 2024 edition registered 5,500+ exhibitors from 130+ countries and 120,000+ trade visitors representing every major food retail, foodservice, hospitality and import-distribution channel in the MENA region.

Why Exhibit at Gulfood 2027?

The MENA region food and beverage market is valued at approximately USD 280 billion in 2025, with the UAE alone importing 80%+ of its food consumption (USD 24 billion annually) — making Dubai the single largest food import hub in the Middle East and Africa. Gulfood is the canonical sourcing event for the entire region's import-distribution channel.

Gulfood provides direct access to:

• •UAE Food Tech Valley — federal smart-food initiative
• •Major MENA retail chains: Carrefour MENA (Majid Al Futtaim), Lulu Hypermarket, Spinneys, Choithrams, Union Cooperative, Al Maya
• •Foodservice operators: Emirates Flight Catering, Dnata, Jumeirah Group, Marriott MENA, Hilton MENA, Accor MENA, Four Seasons MENA, Atlantis, Burj Al Arab
• •HORECA distributors: Truebell, BIDfood Middle East, Horeca Trade, FBN
• •Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) food portfolio: ADQ, NEOM Food, Tahaluf
• •Egyptian, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, Bahraini, Omani, Qatari retail and foodservice buyers
• •African retail chains: Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Massmart sourcing teams
• •130+ national delegations
• •Major MENA F&B trade press

Specialised parallel exhibitions co-located at Gulfood: - Gulfood Manufacturing — separate edition focused on food production technology (November) - Private Label & Licensing World — co-located within Gulfood

Exhibition Stand Solutions for Gulfood 2027

Evreka Stand provides turnkey exhibition stand solutions for Gulfood exhibitors. Three typical engagement formats:

• •Food major / national champion custom stand — 150-500 m², integrated tasting stations, hospitality lounge for buyer meetings, refrigerated display sections for cold-chain products. Typical budget €60,000-€180,000.
• •SME / regional food exporter modular stand — 18-100 m², Maxima modular system with tasting counter + product showcase + meeting cabin. Typical budget €12,000-€50,000.
• •National pavilion / food export-promotion body — 200-1,500 m² coordinated multi-company pavilion. Türk pavilion (TİM), İtalyan pavilion (ICE Agency), İspanyol pavilion (ICEX), Fransız pavilion (Business France), Japon pavilion (JETRO), Kore pavilion (KOTRA), Tayland pavilion (DITP) are Gulfood annuals.

International Exhibitor Logistics — Istanbul to Dubai

Same logistics chain as GITEX/Big 5: sealed-container sea freight Istanbul → Jebel Ali Port (10-14 days) + truck to DWTC; air freight via DXB (4-6 days). UAE Federal Customs Authority accepts ATA Carnet. For food samples and tasting products, additional UAE MOCCAE (Ministry of Climate Change & Environment) food import certification is required — typical processing 3-5 weeks pre-show.

Visa: Turkish business passport holders 30-day visa-on-arrival. DXB to DWTC: 5 km, 10-20 minutes via Metro Red Line direct.

Hall Structure at DWTC for Gulfood

Gulfood uses the full DWTC footprint: - Halls 1-5 — Beverages, dairy, frozen - Halls 6-9 — Meat, seafood, poultry - Halls 10-14 — Confectionery, snacks, bakery - Halls 15-17 — World food (country pavilions), specialty, organic - Hall Trade Centre Arena — Awards, keynotes, chef demonstrations

Booth allocation typically closes 4-5 months before the show — by September-October 2026 for the February 2027 edition.

Past Editions — Reference Data

• •Gulfood 2024 (19-23 February 2024) — 5,500+ exhibitors from 130+ countries, 120,000+ visitors
• •Gulfood 2023 (20-24 February 2023) — 5,000+ exhibitors, 105,000+ visitors
• •Gulfood 2022 (13-17 February 2022) — 4,200+ exhibitors (post-COVID rebound)

Booking Timeline

For a turnkey custom stand to open Day 1 of Gulfood 2027 (16 February 2027):

• •September-October 2026 — Booth allocation confirmed with DWTC + UAE MOCCAE food sample certification submitted
• •October-November 2026 — Design brief + 3D concept + revisions (4-5 weeks)
• •November-December 2026 — Production at Istanbul facility (5-6 weeks)
• •Mid-January 2027 — Sea freight to Jebel Ali (10-14 days transit + 7-day customs buffer)
• •Early February 2027 — On-site assembly + cold-chain power-up + MOCCAE clearance for food samples
• •16 February 2027 — Show opens

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is Gulfood 2027? 15-19 March 2027 at Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE. Annual event.

How large is Gulfood? 2024 edition: 5,500+ exhibitors from 130+ countries and 120,000+ trade visitors. World's largest annual food and beverage exhibition.

What food import certifications does the UAE require? For food samples and tasting products, UAE MOCCAE (Ministry of Climate Change & Environment) requires food import certification covering halal status, ingredient list, country of origin, manufacturing facility approval, and shelf-life data. Typical processing 3-5 weeks. Cold-chain products require additional temperature-controlled shipping documentation.

What is the typical Gulfood booth size and cost? SME / regional food exporter: 18-100 m² modular (€12-50K). Food major / national champion: 150-500 m² custom (€60-180K). National pavilion: 200-1,500 m².

Can Evreka Stand build a stand for Gulfood 2027? Yes — turnkey design, build and on-site DWTC installation including cold-chain power coordination and refrigerated display sections. Strong UAE network plus past food-sector projects (Porland FHA HoReCa Singapore 2024 won Sustainability Award). Contact Evreka Stand for a written budget within 24 hours.