What Horecava does

Horecava is the largest trade fair for the Dutch foodservice and hospitality industry, organized by RAI Amsterdam B.V. and held annually since 1957 at RAI Amsterdam. The flagship offering is a four-day physical exhibition (the next edition, January 11–14, 2027, marks the 70th anniversary) that gathers approximately 60,000 hospitality professionals and nearly 700 exhibitors across 25,000+ sqm of exhibition space, structured into nine themed verticals spanning Food & Wine, Fast Service, Cold Beverages, Coffee/Tea/Cocoa, Bakery & Patisserie, Interior & Design, Commercial Kitchens, Cleaning & Recycling, and Tech & Services. Specialized zones — TrendLAB, Start-upLAB, and AI-LAB — address innovation and emerging trends, and an international-jury Innovation Award program recognizes outstanding products on opening day.

The underlying technology combines a year-round digital platform with on-site infrastructure. The Horecava Online Platform, developed in partnership with HorecaNetwerk.nl (launched Q1 2020), enables suppliers to post content and buyers to initiate direct contact, supported by an account-based matchmaking system. On-site technology includes a digital floor plan (available on the website and venue signage), electronic badge scanning for consented lead capture, and RAI Amsterdam's 700-screen narrowcasting network for wayfinding. Visitor reach extends across the website (approximately 2 million unique annual visitors), a biweekly newsletter (approximately 105,000 subscribers), and social channels (15,000+ LinkedIn, 18,500+ Facebook, 12,000 Instagram followers). No public or partner-facing API is documented.

Horecava generates revenue primarily through exhibitor booth rentals — ranging from bespoke configurations to the all-inclusive Kant & Klaar (plug-and-play) concept covering stand construction, electricity, and basic furnishings at a fixed rate — supplemented by year-round cross-media advertising (website banners, newsletter placements, social media), selective paid visitor tickets, and RAI-operated parking services (€20–€45 per transaction). Admission is free for qualified hospitality decision-makers via invitation and registration code, with discounts for colleagues and free access for students and accredited press. The GTM motion is event-driven, anchored by the annual exhibition but sustained year-round through digital content, advertising inventory, and the HorecaNetwerk.nl platform; advisory committee members from Bidfood, Eijsink, Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN), Hotelschool The Hague, and other industry anchors reinforce sector alignment.

Name

Horecava

Legal name

RAI Amsterdam B.V.

Website

https://horecava.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Horecava, organized by RAI Amsterdam B.V., is the largest Dutch hospitality trade fair, held annually since 1957 at RAI Amsterdam. It serves ~60,000 hospitality professionals and ~700 exhibitors across nine themed verticals, supplemented by a year-round online platform, newsletter, and matchmaking services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Show & Event Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Food, Beverage & Hospitality Trade Shows Organizers (THAHABAI)

Keywords

• Hospitality trade show
• Foodservice exhibition
• Event matchmaking platform
• Trade fair services
• B2B event marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Exhibitor Booth Rental: Horecava generates primary revenue from exhibitor participation fees. Various booth options are available from small stands to larger spaces, with diverse price points to accommodate different budgets. The Kant & Klaar (plug-and-play) concept offers an all-inclusive fixed rate covering booth, electricity, and basic furnishings.
2. Advertising Services: Cross-media advertising opportunities including Horecava website banner placements, newsletter placements, and social media advertising. These services are available year-round to maintain brand presence with the hospitality professional audience.
3. Visitor Tickets: Trade visitors can attend by invitation using a registration code (free for qualified decision-makers) or by purchasing tickets. Students and press may register for free with proper accreditation.
4. Parking Services: RAI Amsterdam offers various parking options including covered parking in Hall 5 (€45), external P2 Arena parking (€20) with shuttle, and daily garage parking (€36).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Horecava operates the largest Dutch hospitality trade fair, held annually over four days at RAI Amsterdam, complemented by a year-round online platform (via the HorecaNetwerk.nl partnership) that connects foodservice suppliers with hospitality buyers. The event features nine themed exhibition categories and specialized innovation zones (TrendLAB, Start-upLAB, AI-LAB), attracting approximately 60,000 hospitality professionals and nearly 700 exhibitors. The platform generates revenue through exhibitor booth rentals (including Kant & Klaar plug-and-play packages), year-round online advertising, ticketed visitor access, and parking services.

Product overview

Horecava operates as a dual offering: an annual four-day trade show at RAI Amsterdam (the largest Dutch foodservice exhibition since 1957, celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2027) complemented by a year-round online platform. The trade show features nine thematic exhibition areas (Food & Wine, Fast Service, Cold Beverages, Coffee/Tea/Cocoa, Bakery & Patisserie, Interior & Design, Commercial Kitchens, Cleaning & Recycling, Tech & Services), plus specialized TrendLAB, Start-upLAB, and AI-LAB zones. The digital platform provides 365-day news, supplier connections, and industry resources. Additional offerings include a biweekly newsletter (~105,000 subscribers), matchmaking services, turnkey exhibition packages, online advertising, and the Horecava Awards competition program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 60,000+ hospitality professionals attending the 4-day event
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HorecaNetwerk.nlcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2019Strategic partnership to create a comprehensive year-round online platform connecting foodservice supply and demand. The platform enables suppliers to post their own content and buyers to contact suppliers directly. Introduced in Q1 2020, extending Horecava's value beyond the annual 4-day event into a continuous industry connection service.
• Entree MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic media partner providing editorial coverage and promotional support for Horecava.
• RAI AmsterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue and exhibition infrastructure provider. RAI Amsterdam organizes and facilitates the event, providing world-class convention center facilities with excellent accessibility (own railway station, metro, tram connections). Horecava is one of RAI's flagship events.
• Schoonmaak JournaalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for the Cleaning & Recycling theme, providing specialized coverage for this exhibition category.
• Bidfood NederlandcoreOthersManaging Director Dick Slootweg serves on the Horecava Advisory Committee, providing strategic guidance on industry needs and event direction.
• EijsinkcoreOthersJoost Snellink represents Eijsink on the Horecava Advisory Committee, contributing hospitality equipment industry expertise.
• LavazzaminorOthersFeatured as a partner of Horecava, representing the Coffee, Tea & Cocoa exhibition category.
• FoodClicksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing coverage of foodservice industry news and Horecava content.
• Food InspirationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner and advisory committee member (Gerard Sterkenburg), covering hospitality industry trends and innovations.
• Hotelschool The HaguecoreOthersJudith van Diepen (Manager Real Life Learning) represents Hotelschool The Hague on the Horecava Advisory Committee, providing educational institution perspective.
• Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner representing the Dutch hospitality industry association, providing industry expertise and advocacy for the hospitality sector.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Anuga FoodTec: International supplier fair for the food and beverage industry organized by Koelnmesse. Broader-incumbent peer: covers the full food value chain (production, packaging, safety) overlapping with Horecava's Commercial Kitchens and Tech & Services themes, but at a wider industry scope.
• Koelnmesse: One of Europe's largest trade fair organizers operating across multiple industries including food (Anuga), hospitality-adjacent, and mobility. Broader-incumbent peer: comparable as a European exhibition organizer with flagship B2B events in adjacent categories.
• Messe Frankfurt: Global trade fair organizer with a broad portfolio across consumer goods, food, hospitality, and textiles. Comparable as a multi-vertical exhibition operator running flagship B2B events that compete for the same exhibitor marketing budgets as Horecava.

Direct peers

• Internorga: Germany's leading hospitality and foodservice trade fair held in Hamburg. Direct functional peer: annual B2B exhibition serving the same exhibitor (foodservice suppliers) and visitor (hospitality decision-makers) base as Horecava, just in the DACH market.
• Sirha: Lyon-based international hospitality and food service trade fair organized by GL Events. Direct comparable: large multi-themed foodservice exhibition (including the Bocuse d'Or culinary competition) serving the same supplier-buyer ecosystem as Horecava.
• Igeho: Switzerland's leading international hospitality, foodservice, and takeaway trade fair held in Basel. Comparable as a DACH-region hospitality exhibition with multi-themed zones covering foodservice, hotel, and gastronomy suppliers — the same core exhibitor base as Horecava.
• FHA-FnB (Food & Beverage): Asia's leading foodservice and hospitality trade show held in Singapore. Direct comparable for multinational foodservice suppliers targeting hospitality buyers, with the same supplier categories (food, beverage, equipment, tech) as Horecava's nine themes.
• HostMilano: Italy's flagship hospitality industry trade fair held biennially in Milan. Comparable as a foodservice/hospitality exhibition organized by a major European venue operator (Fiera Milano), targeting the same exhibitor categories and buyer personas as Horecava.
• Alles für den Gast: Austria's leading hospitality trade fair held in Salzburg. Direct peer: a national hospitality exhibition serving foodservice suppliers and HoReCa buyers across hotel, restaurant, and catering — structurally identical to Horecava's positioning in the Netherlands.

Regional players

• GulfHost: Middle East's hospitality and foodservice exhibition held alongside Gulfood in Dubai. Comparable foodservice exhibition concept serving suppliers and buyers, but operating in a different geographic region rather than competing head-to-head in Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horecava

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Horecava