Alimentaria 2028 – Barcelona, Spain

What to expect

Alimentaria 2028 will bring the international food, beverage, gastronomy and foodservice industries together at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue. The event is a professional trade show rather than a general consumer fair, with its visitor base focused on manufacturers, distributors, retailers, importers, exporters, hospitality companies, foodservice operators, buyers and industry organisations. The official visitor information describes Alimentaria as a major international professional platform for the food and beverage industry, held on a biennial basis.

The 2028 edition is already officially confirmed by the organiser. Detailed programme information is being developed progressively, so visitors should expect the final agenda, exhibitor directory, speaker programme and activity schedule to become more complete as the event approaches.

Key elements to expect include:

• Food and beverage exhibition: A large-scale showcase of food products, drinks, ingredients, gourmet products and specialist categories.
• Foodservice and hospitality: Strong connections between food producers, restaurants, catering companies, hospitality businesses and professional buyers.
• Innovation: New product launches, emerging technologies, functional foods, sustainable solutions and market trends.
• Gastronomy: Demonstrations, culinary presentations, tastings, competitions and professional cooking content.
• International business: Exhibitors and buyers from Spain and international markets, supported by dedicated buyer programmes.
• Networking: Business meetings, matchmaking, exhibitor appointments and professional networking opportunities.

The organiser is also positioning the upcoming edition as part of Alimentaria’s next chapter after its major anniversary edition, with the show continuing to combine food, beverages, gastronomy, innovation and business opportunities.

Event dates

Alimentaria 2028 is confirmed for:

20–23 March 2028

City: Barcelona, Spain
Venue: Fira de Barcelona – Gran Via
Event type: Professional international food, beverage and foodservice trade show
Frequency: Biennial

The official organiser has confirmed the four-day event and the Gran Via venue.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Venue & exhibition site

Alimentaria 2028 will take place at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via exhibition centre, a major international trade fair complex in the Barcelona metropolitan area.

Venue: Fira de Barcelona – Gran Via
Address: Av. Joan Carles I, 64, 08908 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

The official Alimentaria information identifies Gran Via as the event venue and provides several access points, including the Northeast, East and South entrances.

The exhibition site is designed for large-scale international trade shows, with extensive exhibition halls, meeting areas, visitor services, food and hospitality facilities and transport connections.

The latest detailed edition occupied approximately 100,000 square metres of net exhibition space across seven pavilions. The final 2028 pavilion allocation and floor plan should be checked through the official event guide when released.

Full event programme

The complete 2028 programme has not yet been published. Alimentaria normally combines the main exhibition with conferences, innovation presentations, culinary demonstrations, specialist routes, competitions, awards and professional networking activities.

The organiser’s established programme framework includes several major content areas:

• The Alimentaria Hub
• Innoval and innovation showcases
• The Horeca Hub
• Bakery & Pastry Hub
• Coffee Stage
• Organic Foods activities
• International business activities
• Gastronomy and culinary demonstrations
• Professional conferences and round tables
• Product tastings and specialist routes
• Industry awards and competitions

The latest official programme featured more than 200 experts, more than 300 innovations, numerous presentations and a broad programme covering sustainability, digitalisation, food safety, nutrition, internationalisation, distribution, retail and changing consumer behaviour.

For 2028, individual sessions and speakers should not be treated as confirmed until they appear in the official programme.

Key speakers & keynote speakers

The 2028 speaker list has not yet been announced in full. Alimentaria’s programme traditionally attracts senior food industry executives, chefs, hospitality specialists, researchers, retail experts, government representatives, foodservice professionals and innovation leaders.

The latest official programme included recognised professionals such as Antonio Bachour, Jordi Roca, Paco Pérez, Paolo Casagrande, Sergio and Javier Torres, José Miguel Herrero, Katherine Gil, Rosario Pedrosa and other specialists from foodservice, retail, innovation, nutrition and hospitality.

These names should be regarded as previous-edition speakers rather than confirmed 2028 participants.

The eventual 2028 speaker programme is expected to reflect major themes affecting the food industry, including:

• Food innovation and product development
• Sustainability and food waste
• Artificial intelligence and digitalisation
• Nutrition, health and wellness
• Retail and consumer behaviour
• Internationalisation
• Foodservice transformation
• Gastronomy and culinary creativity

Conference sessions & tracks

The detailed 2028 conference tracks are not yet available. However, the established Alimentaria content structure provides a strong indication of the professional subjects visitors can expect.

The Alimentaria Hub has previously been organised around themes including innovation and R&D, nutrition and wellness, internationalisation, distribution and retail.

Other content areas have focused on hospitality and foodservice, coffee, bakery, pastry, organic products, gastronomy and emerging food concepts.

Conference discussions are particularly relevant to professionals who want to understand how changing consumer preferences are affecting product development, retail, food manufacturing, hospitality and foodservice.

Session times & schedule

The detailed 2028 session timetable has not yet been released. The official event programme will eventually provide individual session times, speakers, locations and access information.

The organiser’s published visitor timetable currently indicates the general exhibition schedule as:

• Opening hours: 9:30 AM–6:30 PM on the first three days
• Final day: 9:30 AM–5:00 PM

Individual conferences, demonstrations, tastings and business meetings may have their own starting and ending times. Visitors should use the official programme and event app to build a personal schedule once the complete agenda is available.

Ticket types & registration

Alimentaria is designed primarily for professional visitors, and registration is required for access. The organiser offers different badge durations and recommends completing accreditation online in advance.

The latest available previous-edition reference pricing was:

• 1-day badge: approximately $82 standard or $47 online
• 2-day badge: approximately $94 standard or $59 online
• 4-day badge: approximately $111 standard or $70 online

These are previous-edition reference prices and are not confirmed 2028 prices.

The 2028 ticket structure and final prices should be checked through the official registration platform when released.

Special professional programmes can also provide preferential or complimentary access for eligible buyers. The Key Buyers Programme, for example, is aimed at qualified national buyers and includes a free buyer badge for approved participants.

Registration deadlines

The final 2028 registration deadlines have not yet been announced.

Visitors should register as soon as the official accreditation platform opens, particularly if they require professional validation, an invitation letter or participation in a buyer programme.

International professionals who need a visa can request an invitation letter after completing the relevant registration and badge process through the organiser’s registered-user area.

Hosted Buyers and Key Buyers have separate eligibility requirements and application processes. The Hosted Buyers programme is intended for high-level international professionals with purchasing authority and significant commercial activity.

Exhibitor list & major companies

The complete 2028 exhibitor list has not yet been published. The organiser has already opened its 2028 exhibitor pre-booking process, showing that preparation for the next edition is underway.

Alimentaria attracts a mixture of multinational food companies, established Spanish manufacturers, regional producers, specialist brands, distributors, technology providers and emerging businesses.

Companies and organisations associated with the latest edition included major names such as:

• Nestlé
• Danone
• Coca-Cola
• Damm
• Noel Alimentaria
• Ybarra
• bonÀrea
• GB Foods
• Europastry
• Frit Ravich
• Santiveri
• Lacasa
• Dani
• Helios
• Elgorriaga

The organiser has also highlighted international buyers and companies from markets across Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America.

The official exhibitor directory should be treated as the definitive source once the 2028 participant list is published.

Exhibition halls & floor plan

The latest detailed Alimentaria layout was organised across seven pavilions at Gran Via, covering almost the entire available exhibition area used by the event.

The principal specialist sectors included:

• Intercarn
• Interlact
• Expoconser
• Restaurama
• Snacks, Biscuits & Confectionery
• Fine Foods
• Organic Foods
• Coffee, Bakery & Pastry
• Alimentaria Trends
• International Pavilions
• Lands of Spain
• Grocery Foods

Intercarn has traditionally been one of the largest specialist areas, while other halls focus on dairy, preserves, foodservice, gourmet products, organic foods, bakery, coffee, confectionery and international participation.

The final 2028 floor plan should be checked in the official show guide or event app because pavilion assignments and stand locations can change between editions.

Networking & business meetings

Business networking is one of Alimentaria’s strongest features. The show is structured around commercial meetings rather than simply product display, making it particularly valuable for distributors, importers, retailers, foodservice operators and manufacturers.

The organiser operates both Hosted Buyers and Key Buyers programmes. Hosted Buyers are selected international professionals with purchasing authority and commercial potential, while Key Buyers focuses on qualified national buyers.

The latest edition generated more than 14,500 business meetings involving participating companies and thousands of buyers and importers from international markets.

The official mobile application also provides networking functionality, allowing registered users to connect with exhibitors, communicate with companies and organise appointments.

Industry sectors & highlights

Alimentaria covers a broad section of the food and beverage value chain. Its sector-based organisation allows visitors to concentrate on specific commercial interests while also discovering adjacent categories.

Important sectors include:

• Meat and meat products: Intercarn
• Dairy: Interlact
• Preserved foods: Expoconser
• Foodservice: Restaurama
• Gourmet products: Fine Foods
• Organic products: Organic Foods
• Bakery and pastry: Coffee, Bakery & Pastry
• Coffee: Specialist coffee activities and professional content
• Innovation: Alimentaria Trends and Innoval
• International markets: International Pavilions
• Spanish regional products: Lands of Spain
• General food products: Grocery Foods
• Snacks and confectionery: Snacks, Biscuits & Confectionery

The latest edition also placed considerable emphasis on functional foods, plant-based products, healthier choices, sustainability, convenience and technology-driven food solutions.

Event rules & visitor information

Alimentaria is a professional trade show, so visitors should complete accreditation before arriving and carry their valid printed or digital badge.

The official event information states that children under 18 are not permitted to enter the show.

Important visitor considerations include:

• Professional access: Accreditation is required.
• Personal registration: Each attendee must register individually using their own email.
• Digital badge: The badge can be stored in the official event app.
• Wi-Fi: Free visitor Wi-Fi is provided at the venue.
• Refunds: Purchased badges and activities are subject to the organiser’s non-refund policy.
• Cloakroom: Cloakroom facilities are available within designated pavilions.
• International visitors: Registered attendees can request invitation documentation for visa applications where applicable.

How to get there

Fira Barcelona Gran Via is located in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, immediately southwest of central Barcelona and within the city’s wider metropolitan transport network.

The venue is connected by road, metro, rail, bus and taxi services.

The official venue information lists the Gran Via address as Av. Joan Carles I, 64, 08908 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona.

Visitors arriving from Barcelona-El Prat Airport can use metro connections, buses or taxis. The venue is also connected with major regional roads and motorways, making it accessible for visitors travelling by car.

Public transport & parking

Public transport is one of the easiest ways to reach the Gran Via site.

Metro: The nearest listed metro station is Fira, served by the L9 South line.

Rail: Europa Fira station is served by FGC services and provides another useful connection.

Bus: Several local bus routes operate near the venue.

Taxi: Taxi access is available around the venue, with the official information identifying Juan Carlos I Avenue as a taxi access point.

Free shuttle: Alimentaria’s visitor information also provides a free shuttle connection linking Sants Estació, Plaça Espanya and the Gran Via venue during the event.

Parking: The venue has approximately 4,580 parking spaces, with designated areas for visitors and exhibitors.

Accommodation areas

For visitors attending Alimentaria, the most convenient accommodation areas are around the Gran Via exhibition district, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Plaça d’Espanya and central Barcelona.

Staying close to the venue can reduce commuting time, particularly for exhibitors and professionals with early meetings. Central Barcelona offers a much larger choice of hotels, restaurants and evening activities, while accommodation closer to Gran Via can be more convenient for repeated visits to the exhibition centre.

The organiser provides accommodation information and special rates through its official travel and accommodation partners.

Previous year’s highlights

The latest edition was a major international gathering, attracting nearly 109,600 professional visitors, with around 25% coming from international markets. More than 3,300 exhibiting companies participated, including approximately 1,200 companies from more than 70 countries.

The exhibition covered approximately 100,000 square metres across seven pavilions. Intercarn was one of the largest specialist areas, while the HORECA offering expanded significantly and brought together more than 600 companies.

Innovation was another major highlight. Innoval showcased more than 300 innovations, while The Alimentaria Hub featured 129 activities, 125 presentations and 219 speakers. The Hub attracted around 3,800 congress attendees.

International business was also a major component, with more than 14,500 business meetings held between participating companies and invited buyers and importers.

The event also featured specialist culinary spaces, coffee and bakery content, foodservice activities, product routes, awards, startup initiatives and professional competitions, demonstrating how Alimentaria combines exhibition space with education, innovation and business development.

Official registration & tickets

The official Alimentaria website is the recommended source for 2028 registration, accreditation, ticket information, exhibitor updates, programme announcements and visitor guidance.

Official Alimentaria website and registration information (https://www.alimentaria.com/)

The organiser has already opened the process for exhibitors to pre-book space for the upcoming edition, while visitor registration details and final ticket conditions will be developed through the official platform.

Because 2028 ticket prices have not yet been published, the previous-edition reference prices should only be used for planning purposes. The confirmed 2028 prices should be checked directly through the official registration system before purchasing.