From 26 to 30 January 2026, Ukraine presented its agri-food potential at Gulfood 2026, one of the world’s most influential food and beverage trade fair, held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. The event brought together more than 8,500 exhibitors from 195 countries, showcasing over 1.5 million product items.
The export potential of Ukraine’s organic sector was presented within the National Stand of Ukraine. The stand featured 10 Ukrainian food producers and exporters, 8 of which were organic producers. The full list of companies exhibiting within the National Stand of Ukraine is available via the link.
The National Stand of Ukraine was organised with the support of Switzerland under three programmes: the Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP), the Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP Ukraine), and the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO).
Exhibitors at the National Stand presented a wide range of products at the trade fair, including frozen and dried berries and fruits, organic chips, concentrated juices, breakfast cereals, grains and crispbreads.
For Ukraine, participation in Gulfood is of strategic importance, as the UAE is a key trade hub for the Gulf countries, a region that depends on food imports for approximately 90% of its consumption. The combination of import dependency, multicultural consumer demand and strong purchasing power makes the UAE a key entry point for Ukrainian producers offering value-added products and targeting mid-range and premium market segments.
Participation in international trade fairs primarily offers companies a practical opportunity to test demand for their products, establish direct contacts with international partners and expand their presence on the foreign markets. Therefore, more than 70 Ukrainian agri-food exporters were represented at Gulfood in 2026.
Over the five days of the trade fair, Ukrainian exporters held more than 1,300 B2B meetings with potential partners from the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Interest in Ukrainian products was expressed by representatives from India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Israel, Poland, Jordan, Turkey, Canada, Oman, Pakistan, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Taiwan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the USA, Kazakhstan, Qatar, China, Germany, and other countries.
As a result of these meetings, over 50 potential partnerships were established with partners from the United Arab Emirates, Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. Some of these contacts have already progressed to detailed discussions and commercial calculations. Preliminary agreements were reached regarding the supply of corn to Israel and onions to Belgium.
In addition, several negotiations have already moved closer to the final stage, including cooperation with partners from Spain and the United States, as well as Moldova and Romania. Opportunities for supplying products to the markets of the UAE, Germany and Italy are also currently being explored.
Ukrainian producers had the opportunity to engage directly with importers, distributors and retailers, which expanded prospects for entering new markets and concluding export contracts.
The National Stand of Ukraine at Gulfood was visited by Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, and Denys Bashlyk, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine. During their visit, they held a series of strategic meetings and emphasised the importance of promoting Ukrainian higher added value products on international markets. The Ukrainian diplomatic service in the UAE also played an important role in supporting Ukrainian companies at the exhibition, significantly strengthening the dialogue with local business communities and facilitating discussions on the practical aspects of entering the UAE market.
Gulfood 2026 served as a strong platform for Ukrainian producers to present their products and confirm their readiness to operate in a highly competitive global environment. The showcased products highlighted the competitive advantages of Ukrainian agri-food producers, particularly in the organic segment, combining product quality, reliable supply, and compliance with international standards.
More information is available on the websites of the organisers and partners:
- Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine (in Ukrainian)
Information on the selection of companies for the National Stand of Ukraine at Gulfood 2026 is available via the link (in Ukrainian).
Read more about the participation of Ukrainian organic producers at Gulfood 2025 via the link.
The National Stand of Ukraine with organic, berry, and nut exporters was organised by the State Institution “Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office” (EEPO, Ukraine), the national project Diia.Business, and the public organisation “United Ukraine”, in partnership with the Ukrainian Export Alliance, under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, and with the support of Switzerland within the framework of three programmes:
- The Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP), implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland) in partnership with SAFOSO AG (Switzerland);
- The Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP Ukraine), implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
- The Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO), implemented by the Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation “Swisscontact”.
