TUTTOFOOD 2026 closed with record-breaking numbers, registering 123,000 attendees over four days, including 27,000 international visitors, representing a 30% increase compared to the 2025 edition. The participation of such a large number of professional operators—including industry, distribution, foodservice, importers, and buyers—demonstrates the fair’s ability, organized for the second year by Fiere di Parma, to convert global demand for high-quality food into commercial relationships, market access, and business development. At the same time, it confirms TUTTOFOOD’s growing role as a key international economic platform for the food & beverage sector.
This successful outcome stems from a strategic partnership between Fiere di Parma and Fiera Milano, with international support from Koelnmesse, organizer of the world’s largest food trade fair, Anuga in Cologne. TUTTOFOOD 2026 edition covered 10 pavilions, totalling 82,000 square meters of fully booked exhibition space (+15%), hosted 5.000 brands (+20%, approximately 30% of which from abroad), and welcomed 4,000 top international buyers.
Antonio Cellie, CEO of Fiere di Parma, said: “The figures and the unanimously positive feedback from exhibitors, buyers, visitors, and regular attendees of historic global food fairs confirm it: we have filled a space that was still unexpectedly open, creating a completely new international event for the agri-food sector. This event fully reflects Italian know-how in trade fair organization, offering a platform for exhibitors from around the world to connect with international markets, within a fully integrated business ecosystem”.
“Today, trade fairs are no longer just product showcases” Cellie added “They are business hubs where companies assess international demand, develop markets, build commercial relationships, and turn opportunities into tangible economic results. The growth in attendance shows that companies and operators are seeking physical, qualified spaces to navigate a global market that is increasingly fragmented, selective, and competitive.”
Attendance growth is particularly significant given the current context of geopolitical tensions, tariffs, energy cost pressures, commodity volatility, and the restructuring of global supply chains.
Buyers from the Gulf, Latin America, Asia, the USA, and European countries such as France, recognize the high reputation of Made in Italy, thanks to the undeniable quality of raw materials, authenticity, production reliability, distinctive offerings, and the gastronomic and cultural value it carries. One European buyer highlighted that approximately 70% of their restaurant business revolves around Italian products, demonstrating that Italian cuisine has become a structural element of the international foodservice offering. Key Italian categories such as olive oil, balsamic vinegar, flour, pasta, biscuits, and chocolate are considered irreplaceable in many markets. For operators such as Cencosud (Latin America) and City Super Group (Hong Kong), Italy represents the main European sourcing market for food products.
An interesting aspect is that Italian food is perceived not only as classic or traditional but also as innovative, capable of experimenting and creating new culinary recipes, anticipating trends.
In terms of innovation, Ben Costantini from Sesamers, a French company that brought startups from seven countries to the fair, specialized in software platforms, functional beverages, artisan sauces, and processing machinery, said, “TUTTOFOOD is not just a place to sell today’s products; it is where the next generation of food innovators finds their market.”
At the close of TUTTOFOOD, Banco Alimentare Lombardia collected approximately 25 tons of food from over 600 companies that generously donated surplus products, distributing them to more than 1,000 local partner organizations (canteens, reception centers, family homes, etc.), benefiting over 200,000 people in need.
TOP BUYER PERSPECTIVE
SPINNEYS – A premium supermarket chain operating mainly in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, one of the leading high-end retailers in the Gulf, with a focus on quality, international assortments, and premium products. In 2025, it recorded revenues of around USD 1 billion, with a +13% year-on-year growth, serving over 100 million customers annually. Spinneys attends TUTTOFOOD to strengthen partnerships with producers—especially Italian—and further expand its premium offerings for the Gulf markets.
The buyer, attending TUTTOFOOD for the fourth time, describes the fair as “strategic and highly positive for business development.” Italy is recognized as a privileged partner for private label products (which show strong growth, up to +40% YoY) due to the recognized quality of Made in Italy and simpler logistics compared to other sourcing markets. The goal is to identify new business opportunities, expand existing ranges, and select new premium and artisanal producers for inclusion in assortments. The most dynamic categories include olive oil, preserved foods, legumes, flour, premium tuna, anchovies, organic products, and high-value Italian specialties. Spinneys is particularly interested in premium antipasti, olives, and pasta, which are increasingly relevant for Gulf high-end consumers, as well as organic and health-focused products. According to the buyer, organic products are one of the market’s strongest trends and could even double in value in the near future due to growing consumer attention to health, quality, and natural ingredients.
