The Food Africa trade show, held in Cairo, Egypt, from December 9 to 12, 2025, brought together food professionals from around the world for its tenth edition. The event is continuing to evolve, now lasting four days instead of three and attracting more visitors, more exhibitors, and more countries. According to Dalia Kabeel, co-founder of the event, "1,200 exhibitors from 45 countries were present this year, compared to 1,000 exhibitors from 35 countries last year."
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The fresh produce sector is experiencing the same momentum. More than 90 exhibitors participated in the fair this year, specifically in the Fresh Africa and Dates Africa sub-fairs.
Oranges were the stars of the show when it came to fresh produce. Several fresh produce exhibitors reported that oranges were by far the most sought-after product among visitors. Citrus professionals in Egypt are expecting a much more stable season this year than last, thanks to better sizing, improved logistics, and a less detrimental role of the orange processing industry. However, exhibitors had mixed opinions about the two-week delay in the start of the season, with some believing that this delay would spoil the pre-Christmas sales period, while others thought it was necessary to stabilize prices and harmonize the quality of supply.
Another fresh product that was highly visible on the stands was dates, which are currently in season. According to growers, Egypt's supply of Medjool dates, the most sought-after variety in the premium range, is characterized this season by a slight drop in volume but an improvement in quality and larger sizes. Exports are in full swing to deliver to Asian markets in time for Ramadan, which falls in February. Exhibitors reported that demand is satisfactory this season but noted problems in certain markets, such as Turkey, where the exhaustion of export quotas has paralyzed the export campaign at the very start of the season.
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Another notable aspect of the tenth edition is the large number of exhibitors operating in the transport, logistics, and forwarding sectors. When asked about the situation in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, these exhibitors were unanimous: the situation has improved significantly, and it is now completely safe to sail in the Red Sea. However, it remains unclear when or how the area will return to normal operations, but it will be no later than the first quarter of 2026.
Exhibitors and visitors to the fair generally gave favorable reviews of how the fair went. A Spanish visitor said: "This is undoubtedly the most important B2B event in Africa in the food and fresh produce sector." A Moroccan importer said, "The business opportunities are enormous, given the large number of high-quality products on offer. It remains to be seen whether customs relations between our two countries will allow us to take full advantage of these opportunities. An Egyptian exhibitor said, "I would say that I am satisfied with the fair, but exporters of processed food products are undoubtedly happier, given that fresh produce occupies a lower profile. We can, however, see that the fresh sub-fair is improving with each edition."
