The 2024 edition of Food Africa in Egypt was held in Cairo from December 3 to 5. The show's expansion was reflected in the opening of an additional hall this year, bringing the total number of halls to 5. The fresh produce had a dedicated sub-fair, FreshAfrica, located in hall 4, with a zone dedicated to dates.
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Growers and exporters from several countries were exhibiting this year, including delegations from Türkiye, India, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Russia, China, Thailand, Spain, and many other countries, in addition to a large number of Egyptian exhibitors. According to Dalia Kabeel, co-founder of Konzept, Food Africa's organizer, the number of exhibitors reached 1100 companies this year, and the fair was attended by over 3500 foreign visitors, 500 of whom were part of the fair's "hosted buyers" program, as well as tens of thousands of Egyptian visitors.
Kabeel adds, "The number of foreign visitors has risen from 1,500 last year to over 3,500 this year. This proves that Food Africa is taking place among the must-attend events on the calendar of food professionals worldwide. It also shows that Egypt has no difficulty in attracting international buyers."
Dalia Kabeel, co-founder of Konzept and Food Africa, along with Tamer Safwat
The first day of Food Africa/Fresh Africa kicked off with an opening ceremony attended by Egyptian officials. Mina Eissa, from Rejoice Pro, and strategic advisor to the Food Africa fair, says: "The opening ceremony was vibrant and inspiring, with the participation of many Ministers and dignitaries. The atmosphere was electric as key officials delivered speeches emphasizing the importance of the food sector in driving economic growth and international collaboration. The palpable sense of joy and commitment to fostering business connections underscored the exhibition's role as a vital meeting point for industry stakeholders and a catalyst for growth in Africa's food and agriculture sectors."
The first two days of the fair were very busy and traffic was dense. One exhibitor, a citrus exporter from Egypt, commented: "We had a lot of visitors on the first few days. What's positive this year is that almost all the visitors are actually buyers, so the quality of exchanges was very good. The success of the fair even exceeded our expectations. The organizers decided to leave some space between the exhibiting citrus exporters, which is perhaps better than putting them all in the same place."
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Another Egyptian citrus grower and exporter says, "I'm really pleased with how the first day of the fair went. It has become an attractive event for buyers who are sourcing fresh produce from Egypt. It also reflects the great demand for Egyptian citrus and other fruits and vegetables this year."
Interestingly, attendance at the fair peaked in the late afternoon of the first two days, between 4 pm and 6 pm. According to one exporter, the reason for this is that many visitors wait until they have finished their day's work before heading to the fair. Another exhibitor says, "The day at the exhibition is a bit long, from 10 am to 7 pm, but we can't afford to leave since many visitors don't come until the end of the afternoon." As expected, the third and final day saw the least traffic.
One importer of Egyptian fresh produce said, "The success of Food Africa is largely due to the development of Egypt as a main source of fresh produce for many parts of the world. Many visitors come to meet exporters and especially growers, and we'd like to see more of them in future editions."
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