Indusfood Ahmedabad 2026 concludes on a high note, welcoming over 22,000 trade visitors

The inaugural edition of Indusfood Ahmedabad 2026, organized by the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) at the Helipad Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, concluded with an overwhelming response from the food and beverage industry, firmly establishing itself as one of India's most promising regional trade exhibitions. Over the course of three days, the exhibition emerged as a vibrant platform that brought together food manufacturers, processors, technology providers, ingredient companies, packaging specialists, retailers, exporters, importers, policymakers, and industry experts to explore new business opportunities, exchange knowledge, and showcase the latest innovations shaping the future of the food processing sector.

A successful debut for Western India's food industry

As the first regional edition of the prestigious Indusfood exhibition series, Indusfood Ahmedabad successfully demonstrated the growing importance of Western India as a manufacturing and innovation hub for the food and beverage industry. The exhibition attracted more than 300 exhibitors representing diverse segments of the food value chain, while welcoming over 22,000 trade visitors from across India and international markets. The remarkable visitor turnout exceeded expectations by a significant margin, particularly considering the continuous heavy rainfall experienced throughout all three days of the exhibition. Originally projected to attract approximately 15,000 visitors, the event ultimately recorded attendance of over 22,000 trade professionals, achieving nearly 147 percent of the estimated footfall, reflecting the industry's strong commitment to networking, sourcing, and business development despite challenging weather conditions.

Distinguished industry leaders inaugurate the event

The exhibition was inaugurated by several distinguished dignitaries and industry leaders whose presence underscored the significance of the event. The inauguration was led by Mohit Singla, Chairman of the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI), alongside Rahul Kumar, Chair of the TPCI National Committee on Dairy and Chief Operating Officer of Parag Milk Foods, Ashish Aggarwal, Chair of the Western Region Committee on Snacks and Managing Director of Sunshine Food Products, and Aditya Jain, Group Head – IDF & Codex at the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). Their participation reflected the collaborative efforts of industry associations, government bodies, and private enterprises in supporting the growth and modernization of India's food processing ecosystem.

A comprehensive showcase of food industry solutions

Throughout the exhibition, Indusfood Ahmedabad served as a comprehensive business platform where companies showcased a wide range of products, technologies, and solutions spanning food ingredients, dairy products, snacks, beverages, food processing equipment, packaging machinery, automation systems, logistics solutions, quality assurance technologies, and allied services. Covering more than 15 product categories, the exhibition successfully connected manufacturers with distributors, retailers, institutional buyers, exporters, importers, and investors, creating an ecosystem that facilitated meaningful commercial engagements and long-term business partnerships.

Strong business networking and buyer engagement

Business networking remained one of the defining highlights of the exhibition. More than 3,000 B2B business meetings were facilitated during the three-day event, enabling exhibitors to interact directly with prospective buyers, retailers, distributors, sourcing professionals, and international delegates. The exhibition also hosted over 250 hosted buyers, providing exhibitors with focused opportunities to explore new domestic and export markets. These structured meetings helped generate high-quality business leads while fostering collaboration between regional manufacturers, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and large national and international companies. The event further strengthened the connection between food producers and organized retail by bringing together more than 40 retail chains, thereby creating new opportunities for product sourcing, market expansion, and retail partnerships.

Knowledge sessions drive industry conversations

Knowledge sharing formed another important pillar of Indusfood Ahmedabad 2026. The event featured a carefully curated conference programme that addressed some of the most pressing challenges and emerging opportunities within the food manufacturing and processing industry. More than 10 knowledge sessions and technical masterclasses were conducted over the three-day exhibition, bringing together industry experts, policymakers, technology providers, and business leaders to discuss innovations, market trends, sustainability, regulatory developments, automation, digital transformation, and future-ready manufacturing practices.

Among the key conference highlights were the Indian Food Manufacturing Summit, which featured dedicated sessions on the dairy and snacks sectors under the themes "Beyond Milk" and "Beyond Snacks", respectively. These sessions explored changing consumer preferences, product innovation, value-added manufacturing, and the future growth potential of these rapidly evolving segments. Another major attraction was the FoodTechPack 2026 Conference, which focused extensively on advancements in food processing and packaging technologies. The conference provided valuable insights into emerging manufacturing practices, intelligent automation, packaging innovation, operational efficiency, food safety, and sustainable production, enabling industry stakeholders to better prepare for the evolving demands of both domestic and international markets.

Innovation and technology take centre stage

Innovation remained at the heart of the exhibition through the dedicated Food Processing & Packaging Technology Pavilion, which showcased the latest developments transforming food manufacturing. The pavilion featured advanced processing equipment, automated production systems, digital manufacturing technologies, traceability solutions, smart factory applications, artificial intelligence-enabled systems, and sustainable packaging innovations. Visitors had the opportunity to witness live demonstrations and interact directly with technology providers, gaining first-hand knowledge of solutions designed to improve operational efficiency, product quality, safety, and sustainability. The pavilion highlighted how emerging technologies are accelerating the modernization of India's food processing sector and helping manufacturers remain globally competitive.

Empowering regional manufacturers and MSMEs

Indusfood Ahmedabad also played an important role in strengthening regional industry participation by providing a national platform for local manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs. The exhibition successfully connected regional producers with buyers from across the country while encouraging collaboration between industry stakeholders and organized retail. Among the notable showcases was the participation of the Jammu & Kashmir Trade Promotion Organisation (JKTPO), which presented a diverse range of food, agriculture, and horticulture products from the region. The showcase highlighted the richness of regional produce while opening new market opportunities for producers from Jammu and Kashmir.

Strategic partnership to promote trade and investment

A significant milestone achieved during the exhibition was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) and the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI). Signed on the sidelines of the exhibition, the agreement aims to promote trade, investment, and industrial cooperation across the region while creating new opportunities for businesses operating in the food processing and manufacturing sectors. The partnership is expected to facilitate greater collaboration between industry and trade organizations, support investment promotion initiatives, and strengthen Gujarat's position as an important manufacturing destination for the food industry.

A Strong Foundation for Future Editions

The remarkable success of the inaugural edition of Indusfood Ahmedabad reflects the increasing demand for focused regional trade platforms that bring together the entire food value chain under one roof. By combining a comprehensive exhibition, high-level conferences, technology showcases, structured buyer-seller meetings, and strategic partnerships, the event created significant value for exhibitors and visitors alike. It successfully addressed the industry's need for a platform where innovation, business networking, knowledge exchange, and market expansion could take place simultaneously.

The impressive response received from exhibitors, visitors, buyers, retailers, and industry leaders has laid a strong foundation for the future growth of Indusfood Ahmedabad. Beyond generating business opportunities, the exhibition reinforced the importance of collaboration, technology adoption, sustainability, and innovation in shaping the next phase of India's food manufacturing and processing industry.

With 300+ exhibitors, 22,000+ trade visitors, 250+ hosted buyers, 3,000+ B2B meetings, 40+ retail chains, 15+ product categories, and more than 10 knowledge sessions, the inaugural edition has firmly positioned Indusfood Ahmedabad as a key regional exhibition that complements India's growing food processing ecosystem while contributing to the country's vision of becoming a global hub for food manufacturing, processing, and value-added exports. The resounding success of the first edition has set a strong benchmark and created tremendous momentum for future editions, reinforcing Indusfood Ahmedabad's role as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, investment, and sustainable growth in the food and beverage industry.