Sirha Budapest 2026: 27,000 visitors, 26 countries — the biggest meeting on the region’s food calendar

Central Europe’s largest food industry and HoReCa trade fair returned to Budapest for its seventh edition, and this year it did not disappoint. More than 27,000 visitors — a 5 per cent increase on the 2024 event — filed through the halls of the Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Centre over three packed days, exploring the stands of 420 exhibitors from 26 countries. I was among them, using the opportunity to meet both established and prospective business partners in person.

3–5 March 2026 | Hungexpo Budapest Congress and Exhibition Centre – A personal report from the Floor

The opening ceremony was attended by the Hungarian Minister of Agriculture, István Nagy, the Italian Ambassador to Hungary, Giuseppe Scognamiglio, and the Director of ITA Budapest, Giovanna Chiappini Carpena, who officially inaugurated the event and welcomed the Italian exhibiting companies, professional visitors, and delegations of international buyers, highlighting the strategic importance of the economic relations between the two countries.

From the ministerial opening — where Hungarian Minister of Agriculture Dr. István Nagy stressed that the food industry remains a strategic priority, employing 146,000 people in nearly 4,000 companies — to the dazzling competitive spectacles on the main stage, the fair was a reminder of why Budapest matters to the regional food calendar.

Italy as Guest Country: A Century of Flavour on Show

Italy had the honour of being the first-ever Guest Country in SIRHA Budapest’s history — a milestone that coincided neatly with two other landmark occasions: UNESCO’s recognition of Italian cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (granted at the end of 2025), and the centenary of the ITA – Italian Trade Agency.

The Italian Trade Agency brought a record 29 producers under one roof, spread across a 448-square-metre exhibition area in Hall A. Alongside the expected cheeses, cured meats, and olive oils, visitors could discover professional flours, premium pasta, specialist coffees, and a host of other agri-food excellence. A delegation from the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani staged live Neapolitan pizza demonstrations that drew substantial crowds, while their president, Gianluca Pirro, crossed the aisle to serve as a judge in the inaugural Hungarian Pizza Championship. In Hall G, a gelato masterclass — delivered by young FIPGC talent Francesco Buccafurni in collaboration with the Hungarian Pastry Chefs Association — showed that artisanal Italian frozen desserts translate effortlessly into Central European appetites.

Italy’s economic relationship with Hungary provides solid context for all this gastro-diplomacy. According to the latest KSH figures, Hungarian food and beverage imports total €9.3 billion, of which Italian suppliers account for €481 million — eighth among all trading partners and growing at 2.5 per cent year-on-year.

Giuseppe Scognamiglio, Italy’s ambassador to Budapest, speaking on behalf of the exhibition’s guest of honour, highlighted that the food industry plays a key role in the Italian economy as well, and that the peninsula’s culinary heritage forms part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage. He noted that while regional traditions remain strong, Italian producers invest significant sums in technological development, digital modernisation, and projects to improve sustainability and food safety. The ambassador said he sees substantial opportunities for Hungarian–Italian cooperation in the food sector, particularly thanks to Hungary gaining sea access through the Port of Trieste in Italy.

The Indonesian stand: A valued partnership

Equally warmly received — and of particular personal significance to us at Daily News Hungary — was the Indonesian presence at SIRHA Budapest 2026. The Indonesian stand reinforced a growing and productive partnership, and the conversations held there over the three days of the fair were among the most rewarding of the entire event.

Participating companies include:
➢ PT. Cahaya Desa Ekspor (Vanilla)
➢ PT. Adarasa Putra Jaya (Healthy drinks)
➢ PT. Maxindo Karya Anugerah (Tropical snacks)
➢ Java Spices/Archipelago Internasional (Spices)
➢ PT. Mayora Indah (Kopiko products)
➢ PT. Persatuone Komoditas Indonesia (Cocoa and Coffee)
➢ Moorlife (Premium food containers)
➢ Kara Coconut Milk (Represented by its Hungarian importer)

Her Excellency Ambassador Herasati Penny visited the pavilion in person, highlighting the quality that the participating Indonesian companies have brought to the Hungarian market and underlining their ambition to grow here. The Ambassador also extended a warm invitation for media contributors to engage with and support these companies — an initiative we at Daily News Hungary are pleased to embrace. Indonesia’s food sector continues to develop its international footprint with confidence, and SIRHA Budapest proved a fitting venue to strengthen ties with European buyers, distributors, and media.

Thailand makes its debut — and leaves a mark

One of the most energetic new presences at this year’s fair was undoubtedly the Thai Pavilion — Thailand’s first-ever participation in SIRHA Budapest, and a notable diplomatic and commercial achievement. The pavilion was a joint initiative of the Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest and the Thai Trade Center Budapest, uniting six leading Thai companies under one banner: