Gulfood Manufacturing 2026 opens at Dubai World Trade Centre today and runs until Thursday, filling 21 halls with the food production industry alongside three other trade shows. Entry is free for trade professionals, but this is not an event the general public can walk into.
Table of Contents
Dates, venue and opening hours
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Dates | 3 to 5 November 2026 |
| Venue | Dubai World Trade Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road |
| Hours, 3 and 4 November | 10am to 6pm |
| Hours, 5 November | 10am to 5pm |
| Exhibitors | More than 2,500 |
| Halls | 21 |
Note the earlier close on the final day. Exhibitors come from 79 countries according to the organiser’s own show pages and trade coverage, although the main event site puts the figure at more than 80, so treat the exact count as approximate.
Four shows under one roof
Your badge covers a cluster of co-located exhibitions, which is the main reason the venue is so busy this week:
- Gulfood Manufacturing – processing, packaging, ingredients, automation and supply chain, spread across Halls 1 to 9, Za’abeel Halls 1 to 3, the Trade Centre Arena and the Sheikh Saeed, Maktoum and Rashid halls.
- GulfHost – hospitality and foodservice equipment, in Za’abeel Hall 6.
- ISM Middle East – sweets and snacks, in Za’abeel Halls 4 and 5.
- Private Label Middle East – private label and contract manufacturing, in Za’abeel Hall 1.
Argentina, the Philippines, Mauritania, San Marino and Slovakia are exhibiting for the first time this year.
Who can get in, and the rules at the door
Registration is compulsory and the show is restricted to trade and business professionals. The general public is not admitted, and you need photo identification with your badge, which is non-transferable. The published admission policy sets a minimum age, but its wording is inconsistent on whether the cut-off is 18 or 21, so do not plan on bringing anyone young without checking first.
Two practical rules catch visitors out. Trolleys and luggage bags are not allowed in the halls, and food or drink samples cannot be carried out of the halls under Dubai Municipality rules. Pre-registration online is the normal route in.
The conference programme
The FoodTech Summit runs alongside the exhibition under the theme of food security, technology and investment, with sessions on supply chain resilience, local manufacturing, artificial intelligence and robotics. The opening day includes a Global Leaders Series roundtable titled The Food Sovereignty Agenda – Capital and the Intelligent Factory. Whether the summit needs a separate ticket has not been stated publicly, so check when you register. Industry Excellence Awards and guided innovation tours are also part of the programme.
The backdrop is a national target to lift the food sector’s contribution to UAE GDP from AED 30 billion to AED 40 billion by 2028, which is why local manufacturing features so heavily this year.
Getting to the venue
The Dubai Metro is the simplest way in, and it helps to know how to top up your nol card online before you set off. The nearest bus stop is the Novotel stop outside the Convention Gate entrance. If you drive, paid parking is available at Exhibition Street, Exhibition Plaza, Al Mustaqbal Street and Sheikh Rashid Tower. Visitors flying in should check the current Dubai tourist visa process before travelling.
If you are going this week, register online before you travel, pick your halls in advance rather than trying to see everything, and plan for the 5pm finish on Thursday. Hall allocations and the full exhibitor list are published on the official show website, and venue access details are on the Dubai World Trade Centre site. Gulfood Manufacturing 2026 is a trade event, so if you are not in the industry this is one to read about rather than attend.
