For 29 years, WorldFood Istanbul has been the meeting point for international food & drink producers and Turkey’s key buyers. It’s the ideal place for foreign firms to explore the Turkish food sector, network with important industry figures and buyers, and promote their products in an exciting new market. As a B2B event, WorldFood Istanbul is the perfect platform for growing sales and attracting new clients in a $1bn food import sector. Imports have been steadily increasing in Turkey across the last decade. New societal trends, such as busier lifestyles, urbanisation, and higher average incomes, are changing the way Turks buy and eat food & drink products, increasing export opportunities for foreign firms.
With a large, professional audience of retailers, wholesalers, dedicated importers, and many more food & drink players, WorldFood Istanbul is the ultimate venue for B2B transactions. Participate in WorldFood Istanbul to find your selling opportunities in Turkey’s highly lucrative market. WorldFood Istanbul exhibitors represent the whole food & drink industry, including all major sectors, as well as specific niches. This includes actual food & drink products, transportation solutions and health goods. With such a product offering, it’s little wonder the show attracts thousands of professional visitors each year for peerless selling and networking opportunities.
As the food industry experiences increasing fluctuations in production and discusses food security more often, the 30th WorldFood Istanbul, International Food Products and Technologies Exhibition, will bring together over 400 foreign hosted buyers from 45 countries in Istanbul. Brands and manufacturers specialized in the production of canned food, milk and dairy products, and fresh vegetables and fruits will participate in this year’s WorldFood Istanbul, which aims to contribute to the discussion of new targets for the increase in production and exports without any risk to food security by the stakeholders in the industry and to the result-oriented road map for Türkiye’s future food and agricultural policies.
Semi Benbanaste, Director of WorldFood Istanbul, reminded that Türkiye is dependent on cereal and grain imports. He added, “On the other hand, Türkiye increased its exports of food and agricultural products between January and May 2022, compared to the first 5 months of 2021, and continues to strengthen its position as an exporter. Türkiye’s exports in the first 5 months totaled $9,817 billion, with a year-on-year increase of $1,727 billion, including an increase of 21.3 percent in the exports of food and agricultural products.
” Benbanaste noted that Türkiye has the potential to emerge as a global logistics power in the Middle Corridor with its current stability, strong transportation infrastructure, and projects that contribute to the global logistics network. He stressed the opportunities available to Türkiye, saying, “The Northern Corridor, one of the 3 transportation and logistics corridors between Asia and Europe, does not work properly due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Türkiye is currently a stable and safe port for supply. Furthermore, there is an important opportunity for Türkiye. We are now an important manufacturer and exporter of food and agricultural products. While strengthening this position, we can become a significant global manufacturer and exporter of food and agricultural products, if we can solve the chronic problem of ‘generating low revenue despite being a strong manufacturer.’” Benbanaste stated thatWorldFood Istanbul is even more important during these critical times. He noted that there is a great interest in the exhibition, saying, “During last year’s exhibition, we made a significant contribution to the industry by increasing its business volume by €650 million in 5 halls. Even though there is more than 2 months until the exhibition, 10 halls have already been filled to capacity by 450 exhibitors from 18 countries. That is to say, the number of exhibitors has already doubled compared to last year. Furthermore, over 400 foreign hosted buyers will attend the exhibition. We estimate that we will increase the business volume in the industry by more than €1 billion at this year’s exhibition, the occupancy rate of which has already reached 90 percent.”
A total of 179 hosted buyers from 40 countries and 22,800 visitors, 23 percent (5,237) of which were foreigners, attended last year’s WorldFood Istanbul, which was held in line with the approach “Safe Trade and 365-Day Exhibition” and lasted 4 days. As the interest in the exhibition increases, efforts are underway to bring approximately 600 Turkish and foreign exhibitors together with tens of thousands of visitors this year.
