News DeskDubai, UAE – Italy will reinforce its global culinary and trade leadership at Gulfood 2026, taking place from January 26 to 30 across the Dubai World Trade Centre and the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai. The Italian Trade Agency (ITA), in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will lead Italy’s participation in the 31st edition of the world’s largest food and beverage exhibition.
Italy will be represented by 311 exhibitors within the Italian Pavilion, including 22 companies featured in the Italian Food Lab, underlining the country’s strong and diversified presence at the event. The expanded two-venue format of Gulfood 2026 reflects the rapid growth and transformation of the global food industry, providing an enhanced platform for international engagement.
Italy’s participation follows the recent UNESCO recognition of Italian cuisine, officially titled “Italian cooking between sustainability and biocultural diversity,” which has been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Italy is the first country in the world to receive this status for its national cuisine, recognising it as a living cultural system rooted in biodiversity, agricultural landscapes, seasonal produce and the intergenerational transmission of knowledge.
At the heart of Italy’s presence will be the Italian Food Lab, an experiential space hosting live cooking demonstrations and gastronomic masterclasses throughout the exhibition. Led by Italian chefs based in the UAE and internationally, the programme will highlight regional diversity, premium raw materials and sustainable production practices that define Made in Italy food.
Trade figures underscore Italy’s strong position in the UAE market. In the first eleven months of 2025, Italian food and beverage exports to the UAE reached €416.9 million, following total exports of €447 million in 2024. As of October 2025, the top-performing categories included beverages (€76.5 million), cereal, flour and starch-based preparations (€55.8 million), and dairy products (€32 million).
“Italian cuisine goes beyond taste, reflecting a strong bond between people, tradition, and sustainability,” said Lorenzo Fanara, Ambassador of Italy to the United Arab Emirates. “Gulfood is a key platform to share this heritage, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with partners and consumers across the UAE.”
Valerio Soldani, Italian Trade Commissioner to the UAE and Oman, noted that Italy’s strategy in the UAE focuses on value rather than volume. “Gulfood 2026 allows us to translate the value of Made in Italy food into experience, through the Italian Food Lab, masterclasses and direct engagement, showcasing the cultural depth, diversity and sustainability behind our products,” he said.
Visitors to Gulfood 2026 are invited to experience the Italian Food Lab throughout the exhibition, offering a firsthand insight into Italy’s renowned food culture and agricultural heritage.
