Gulfood 2027 Dates — Feb 16-20 Dubai DWTC | Food & Beverage Stand Builder

Gulfood 2027 takes place 16-20 February 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? 16-20 February 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.