VMPL

New Delhi [India], March 19: AAHAR 2026 -- the 40th edition of Asia-region's premier trade show on food and hospitality sectors -- concluded at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on a strong note in terms of brand promotion, business generation, match-making, buyer-seller meetings and industry networking sessions. Organised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India and India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), AAHAR 2026 was held in collaboration with apex food and hospitality bodies and concluded as a high-energy, outcome-driven platform for the sector.

A key highlight of this edition was the clear upward movement in scale and response. Surpassing previous records, the event registered an impressive increase in space booking and visitor response, reaffirming its position as one of Asia's leading B2B events for the food and hospitality industry. After drawing over 1.25 lakh business visitors from India and abroad, the exhibition underscored the sustained relevance of AAHAR as a marketplace where businesses discover, engage and convert conversations into opportunities.

Alongside the on-ground scale, AAHAR 2026 also signalled an important evolution in the exhibition experience -- a decisive move toward a more digitally enabled fair. The mobile app of the fair remained extremely meaningful for convenience of visitors, registering over 17,000 downloads and facilitating 2,800 business meetings. This adoption reflected a shift in how buyers and exhibitors navigate and network: AAHAR is no longer only an on-ground platform; it is increasingly supported by digital tools that enable more structured discovery, planning and business engagement across halls and categories.

International participation was also a strong anchor of the edition. This year, Italy participated as the Partner Country, and the Chairman, ITPO noted that after Italy's participation in this status, AAHAR 2027 would witness more countries with the Partner Country status. The closing day proceedings further reinforced AAHAR's growing stature as a meeting point of global and Indian stakeholders across food products, equipment, hospitality solutions and allied sectors.

The closing day featured the presentation of the Awards for Excellence in Display -- a key moment that recognised exhibition excellence across diverse segments of the food processing and hospitality ecosystem. The awards reflected the breadth of participation at AAHAR 2026, covering multiple categories including international and domestic processed food and beverage products, food and beverage equipment, hospitality and decor solutions, allied sectors, dairy/bakery/confectionery, spices and agri-products, and participation by government departments, state pavilions and commodity boards. This recognition of display excellence also underlined the increasing professionalism and competitiveness with which exhibitors are approaching AAHAR as a high-stakes B2B platform.

Shri Jawed Ashraf (IFS Retd.), Chairman, ITPO presented the awards and complimented the winners. H.H. Kenneth Felix Haczynski da Nobrega, Ambassador of Brazil in New Delhi also addressed the gathering on the occasion. Present on the occasion were senior officials of ITPO, representatives of diplomatic missions, exhibitors, industry leaders, and media persons.

In his closing remarks and while complimenting the award winners, the Chairman, ITPO expressed confidence that the next edition would be organised with enhanced scale and stature, including in the context of the second phase of the redevelopment plan of Bharat Mandapam commencing soon. He also reiterated that the exhibition's expanding international engagement would continue to strengthen in the coming editions.

Speaking on the successful conclusion of the exhibition, the Chairman, ITPO said:'AAHAR continues to serve as an important platform for the food processing and hospitality industry, bringing together producers, exporters, technology providers and global buyers. The strong participation reflects the growing opportunities in India's food sector and the increasing interest in partnerships and trade. Initiatives such as AAHAR support the vision of positioning India as a global hub for processed food by promoting innovation, encouraging MSMEs and generating employment across the sector.'

AAHAR 2026 (March 10-14, 2026) was organised by ITPO in collaboration with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, along with leading industry associations including APEDA, AIFPA, ARCHII, FAIC, FHSAI, FIFHI, FIFI, FIWA, HOTREMAI, ICMA, KREMAG, PBFIA and CIFT -- strengthening ecosystem participation and industry ownership of the platform.

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