Saudi Arabia Accelerates Food Security and Manufacturing Drive as Saudifood Events Unite in Jeddah

Saudi Arabia is stepping up efforts to strengthen food security, expand domestic manufacturing and increase trade opportunities as global food systems face growing challenges from supply chain disruptions, localisation demands and the need for greater production resilience.

Against this backdrop, The Saudifood Show and Saudifood Manufacturing will be held together for the first time in Jeddah from September 27 to 29, 2026, bringing the commercial and industrial segments of the Kingdom's food and beverage sector onto a single platform. The events are being held in strategic partnership with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON).

The events are expected to attract more than 1,000 exhibitors and 25,000 industry professionals from 50 countries, creating opportunities across food manufacturing, retail, wholesale, foodservice, sourcing and international trade. First Mills and Durrah Advanced have also been confirmed as Gold Sponsors of The Saudifood Show.

Vision 2030 drives food industry expansion

Saudi Arabia's food industry is emerging as a major growth market under Vision 2030, with more than SAR 187.5 billion invested in food security, industrial development, logistics infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities.

Taking place at Jeddah Superdome, the combined events will bring together manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, packaging companies, technology providers, food brands, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, foodservice operators and investors.

The platform will cover the wider food ecosystem, including food and beverages, ingredients, processing, packaging, manufacturing technology, logistics, supply chain solutions, retail, wholesale and foodservice.

Global participation expands

International participation is expected to remain a major feature of the events, with 80% of exhibitors coming from international markets and 55% participating for the first time.

The Saudifood Show will feature major food producers and brands including Almarai, Arla, Lactalis, BRF, Tanmiah, NADEC, Savola, First Mills, Americana and Seara Food Middle East (JBS).

Saudifood Manufacturing will bring together industry players including Bunge, JBT Marel, Middleby, MULTIVAC, NAPCO, Zamil, ULMA and Provisur.

International pavilion participation will include Türkiye, India, Jordan, the United States, Uzbekistan, Tunisia and Italy. New exhibiting markets this year include Uzbekistan, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Pakistan through TDAP, Brazilian Beef through ABIEC and Japan through JETRO.

Connecting manufacturing with trade and demand

The Saudifood Show will focus on connecting global suppliers with buyers from the retail, wholesale and foodservice sectors, supporting sourcing, product discovery and trade opportunities.

Meanwhile, Saudifood Manufacturing will focus on strengthening Saudi Arabia's domestic production capabilities by connecting manufacturers with technologies, ingredients, processing solutions, packaging innovations and supply chain partners.

The events' strategic partnership with MODON is expected to further support industrial development, localisation and cooperation between food producers, manufacturers, traders and investors.

The combined platform will also provide businesses with access to government and industry stakeholders, creating opportunities for trade, sourcing, localisation and manufacturing partnerships aligned with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 objectives.

Jeddah offers access to regional and global markets

The move to Jeddah is being positioned as a strategic development for both events. The city is home to one of the world's largest food clusters and several of Saudi Arabia's key commercial and logistics centres.

Jeddah provides access to international shipping routes, regional markets, import infrastructure and export networks. The city handles approximately 75% of Saudi Arabia's maritime trade, making it an important gateway between the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe.

By bringing The Saudifood Show and Saudifood Manufacturing to Jeddah, organisers aim to strengthen connections between global suppliers, Saudi manufacturing capabilities and regional demand, supporting the Kingdom's ambitions to build a more resilient, connected and competitive food economy.