Foodist İstanbul, the International Food and Beverage Products Fair, will hold its 2026 edition from 1 to 4 September at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center in Istanbul. Organised by Tüyap Fairs and Exhibitions Organization Inc. in collaboration with ALZ Group and with the support of the Türkiye Food Platform, the event will bring together Turkish producers and international buyers on an exclusively B2B business platform.
The fair has been launched with a clear international focus and the aim of opening up new export opportunities for the Turkish food industry. According to İlhan Ersözlü, general manager of Tüyap Fairs Production Inc., the organisers’ ambition is to turn Foodist İstanbul into one of the three most important food fairs in the world.
An event backed by the sector
Foodist İstanbul is presented as the only fair in Turkey backed by the main organisations in the food sector. It has the support of the Türkiye Food Platform, which includes the Turkish Exporters Assembly, the Grains, Pulses, Oilseeds and Products Sector Council, the exporters’ associations linked to this body, the Federation of Food and Drink Industry Associations of Turkey and the Horeca Channel Suppliers Association.
This backing gives the event broad sector representation and will allow producers, manufacturers, exporters, buyers and professional organisations to come together in one place with a common goal: to boost exports and strengthen the international presence of the Turkish food industry.
The organisation combines Tüyap’s trade fair experience with ALZ Group’s international network to position Istanbul as one of the major meeting points for global food trade.
More than 70,000 professional visitors
The 2026 edition expects to welcome more than 70,000 professional visitors from over 150 countries. Attendees will include manufacturers, exporters, importers, distributors, wholesalers, retail chain executives, purchasing managers, brand representatives and senior executives from the food and beverage sector.
The fair will also host VIP buyer delegations from 50 strategic markets, with the aim of encouraging direct business meetings and facilitating the creation of new international partnerships.
Target markets include the Balkans, Europe, the Middle East, the Gulf countries, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Central Asia, the Turkic republics, the Far East and the Americas.
International promotion in strategic markets
The organisers are developing an extensive international promotion campaign to raise awareness of the event in the main target markets.
“We are working intensively on the preparation of the event. Promotional activities are continuing in the main international markets. We are presenting Foodist İstanbul at leading fairs such as Anuga, Gulfood, ProdExpo and ISM Cologne, as well as developing specific campaigns in Central Asia, Russia, Iran and other strategic markets,” explains Ersözlü.
A platform for the entire food chain
Foodist İstanbul has been designed to attract only professional visitors with purchasing and decision-making capacity. The fair will bring together manufacturers, producers, exporters and brand representatives with buyers specialising in sourcing, distribution and marketing.
The exhibition offer will cover a broad chain of food and beverage products, including chocolate and confectionery, nuts, meat and dairy products, eggs, seafood products, hot and cold beverages, staple foods and non-food products linked to the sector.
According to the organisers, this specialised model will create an efficient business environment, facilitating direct meetings between exhibitors and qualified buyers while offering visitors the chance to discover new suppliers and brands in a single space.
A calendar designed for exports
Holding Foodist İstanbul in September responds to a strategy focused on international trade. The date coincides with a key moment for order planning in the food industry, allowing deals closed during the fair to enter production in October and November and be ready for shipment in December.
“This calendar offers exporters a competitive advantage by allowing them to take advantage of zero-tariff import quotas that many international markets open in January and February,” concludes Ersözlü.
By placing the fair at the start of the autumn commercial season, Foodist İstanbul aims to help companies secure orders further in advance and strengthen their competitiveness in international markets.
