13/08/2026
EDITORIAL OVERVIEW | EAST AFRICA
Africa Food Show
4th Edition
Co-located Show: The Hotel Expo Kenya 2026
19 – 21 August 2026 | Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi, Kenya
The Africa Food Show, is a premier pan-African business-to-business platform dedicated to advancing Africa's agricultural and food industries. Bringing together producers, processors, traders, retailers, investors, policymakers, regulators, researchers, financial institutions, development partners, private sector leaders, innovators, international buyers and community representatives from across the continent and beyond, the event serves as a strategic platform for innovation, networking, investment and trade across the entire agri-food value chain.
This year’s fourth edition of AFS which aligns with Kenya's Vision 2030 and the African Union Agenda 2063, bring together over 200 exhibitors from more than 30 countries, including national pavilions from South Africa, Malaysia, Egypt, China, Congo and South Sudan.
Supported by:
• Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock Development – Republic of Kenya
• Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• Western Cape Department of Agriculture – South Africa
• Small Enterprises Development Agency – SEDFA – South Africa
• FAMA - Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, Malaysia
• Arab Federation for Dates
• Kenya Chinese Chamber of Commerce
• Tea & Coffee Association
• Kenya Tourism Board
The 2026 Edition at a Glance
• 6,000+ Visitors & Trade Buyers
• 200+ Exhibitors
• 100+ Industry Speakers
• 200+ Pre-Scheduled B2B Meetings
• 25+ Participating Countries
Key Sector Sub-Sectors
Food & Beverages Food ingredients and specialty products; food processing and manufacturing; supply chain and logistics; beverages and functional drinks; sustainable food packaging and labelling; plant-based and alternative proteins; Hotels, Restaurants and Catering (HoReCa)
Agro Africa Agricultural machinery and equipment; tractors; planting and cultivation systems; harvesters; milling and storage; crop protection; irrigation; warehousing; automation
Food Pack Africa Packaging technology; filling machinery; printing and labelling; sustainable and intelligent packaging; beverage and liquid systems; logistics packaging; packaging materials
Co-Located Show - THE HOTEL EXPO
The Hotel Expo Kenya is a premier platform for hoteliers, restaurateurs and hospitality professionals to connect, collaborate, source solutions and explore the advancements shaping the industry. From technology and sustainability to culinary trends, design and luxury services, the expo supports the sector’s drive towards world-class hospitality standards.
Key Sectors Sub-Sectors
Hospitality Accommodation solutions; technology and digital solutions; sustainability and green solutions; safety and hygiene; food and beverage; luxury and wellness; design and interiors; professional services
Co-located under one roof, Africa Food Show Kenya and The Hotel Expo Kenya will give buyers a seamless route to ingredients, equipment, packaging, technology, and hospitality solutions connecting the entire value chain in one convenient destination.
B2B MATCHMAKING
Registered buyers complete a short sourcing profile product categories, volumes, target markets and procurement timelines and are matched against exhibitor capability before the doors open. Meetings are then booked into a diary with a confirmed time and table.
More than 500 meetings are targeted across the three days, and the difference is measurable: a matched buyer arrives with four to six qualified appointments already in place, while a walk-in spends the first morning locating the right stand. Slots close ahead of opening day, and priority goes to profiles completed in full.
CONFERENCE
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), will convene a three day knowledge conference under the overall theme "Transforming Agrifood Systems for Healthy Diets: From Seed to Plate". The conference will provide a platform for policymakers, private sector actors, development partners, researchers, innovators and the community to explore how agriculture, food processing, trade, investment, technology, food safety and nutrition can collectively contribute to agrifood systems that are more productive, resilient, competitive and nutrition-sensitive.
For Kenya, this dialogue is particularly timely. As the country seeks to expand agricultural trade, strengthen agro-industrialization and create employment opportunities, it is simultaneously confronted by rising rates of overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases alongside persistent undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Addressing these challenges requires moving beyond sector-specific interventions towards integrated food systems approaches that generate economic opportunities while improving the availability, affordability and consumption of safe, nutritious and sustainably produced foods. In this context, building a healthy food economy is not only a public health imperative but also a strategic pathway for enhancing agricultural competitiveness, creating jobs, stimulating innovation and advancing sustainable national development.
The conference will therefore serve as a platform for sharing evidence, showcasing innovations, fostering strategic partnerships and identifying practical actions that accelerate agrifood systems transformation. Through dialogue among governments, Parliament, regulatory authorities, financial institutions, research and academic institutions, the private sector, producer organizations, development partners, civil society, youth leaders, entrepreneurs and community representatives, it will seek to advance integrated solutions that strengthen food systems, improve nutrition outcomes and position healthy diets as both a development priority and an engine for inclusive economic growth
Mizani Live Cooking
The Mizani stage is where the two shows visibly become one. Running continuous demonstrations across all three days with culinary partners M-Pishi and Supreme Chefs, it puts professional chefs to work with ingredients sourced from the exhibition floor, on equipment supplied by exhibiting brands.
The value is practical rather than theatrical. Hotel and restaurant buyers see equipment under real service conditions before specifying it, and ingredient suppliers have their product demonstrated in application by chefs their target customers already respect. Session times are published in the daily programme; seating is unreserved.
MAIN COUNTRY PAVILIONS:
Pavilion Focus
South Africa
SEDFA The Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency brings a delegation of South African SMEs spanning food processing, packaging and agri-inputs — presented as a coordinated group with financing and export development support behind them.
South Africa
Western Cape Department of Agriculture A second contingent drawn from one of the continent’s most established agri-export regions, with particular strength in fresh produce, wine and beverage, agri-processing technology and cold chain.
FEATURED PARTNER
International Trade Council - Honorary Supporting Partner
A global peak-body chamber of commerce serving more than 28,000 organisations worldwide, the Council’s role at the 2026 edition is operational rather than ceremonial.
The International Trade Council (ITC) supports the 2026 edition through a practical programme of international delegation mobilisation, exhibitor introductions, trade expertise, MoU facilitation, and global visibility. Through its member network, ITC brings international trade delegations to Africa Food Show and The Hotel Expo connects companies seeking African market entry with exhibitors, contributes expertise on compliance, certification, tariffs, and market-entry strategy, facilitates partnerships between visiting delegations and East African businesses, and promotes both exhibitions through its official events calendar and global membership network.
MOU SIGNINGS
Several partnership signings are anticipated across the three days, a number of them facilitated through the International Trade Council’s network and the show’s institutional partners. The expected pipeline spans trade association agreements, market-access partnerships and supplier distributor arrangements between visiting delegations and East African counterparts. Signings take place on the show floor rather than behind closed doors, with media access arranged around each ceremony.
A Qualified Audience
Both shows draw government ministries and agencies, agri-processors, food and beverage manufacturers, ingredient buyers, importers and distributors, retail and wholesale buyers, hotel and restaurant groups, lodge and resort operators, catering companies, packaging converters, cold chain and logistics providers, investors and procurement professionals representing more than 25 markets.
Global Visibility
ABN Alkebulan Business News, Afrique Media, Asian Aussie Business, Asia Food Journal, Food Drinks & Innovation, Food Packaging Network, Foodtechbiz, Gazet International, International Business Africa, International Business Magazine, MidEast Info, NegoSentro, Poland Fruits, Red Bus Digital Ventures, Start Up News, The Business Year, The Executive Chronicles, The Technology News PH, Trade Travel Journal, and World Business Outlook.
About the Organizers
MIE Events, part of MIE Groups, is a Dubai-headquartered international exhibition and conference organiser with over 25 years of experience delivering B2B platforms across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and North America. Its portfolio spans food and agriculture, hospitality, construction, infrastructure, energy, mobility, manufacturing, technology, and industrial trade, connecting governments, investors, buyers, manufacturers, and industry leaders.
Co-organised with Global Exhibitions Africa, a specialist African exhibitions and events platform focused on creating meaningful business connections and market opportunities across the continent.
Register to Visit
Entry is free for verified trade visitors. Pre-registration takes under two minutes, guarantees a printed badge on arrival, and is the only route into the B2B matchmaking diary. One registration gives access to both exhibitions.
Africa Food Show Kenya - https://reg.meetby.net/afskenya2026-visitorregister?utm_source=website&utm_medium=forms
The Hotel Expo Kenya - https://reg.meetby.net/visitorregistration
International Enquiries
Noel Puno, Director — Exhibitions & Projects
+971 4 425 3337 Ext. 212 | +971 50 269 7037
[email protected]
Project Manager (HQ)
Meloida Caridad, MIE Events FZCO
+971 4 425 3337 Ext. 291 | +971 58 960 5917
[email protected]
