Africa Food Show

What Africa Food Show does

Africa Food Show is a B2B trade exhibition platform for the African food and beverage industry, organized by dmg events in partnership with Koelnmesse and held annually at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC 1). The event connects international F&B suppliers with African buyers across retail chains, distributors, restaurants, and hospitality groups, structured around six product sectors: Retail-ready Food, Beverages, Technology Solutions, Bakery, Catering & Bulk, and New Trends. The 2026 edition (10–12 June 2026) targets 350+ exhibitors, 8,000+ trade visitors, and 60+ participating countries, a material scaling from the 2025 inaugural's 350 exhibitors and 6,000 visitors from 25+ countries. Live programming includes the Game of Chefs, National Burger Challenge, National Pizza Challenge, and the SA Chefs Experience culinary theatre, anchored by partnerships with SA Chefs Association and the South African Bakers Association.

The business model is event-driven B2B commerce, monetized through two primary streams: exhibition stand sales to suppliers (transaction-fee revenue) and a multi-tier sponsorship program (Platinum, Registration, VIP Lounge, Visitor Bag, Silver, Workshop) sold to brand partners. Distribution is handled through a direct sales team (led by a Head of Sales: Food & Hospitality) combined with a self-serve online registration portal at theafricafoodshow.com. The show is co-located with Hotel & Hospitality Expo Africa, providing cross-sector access to sub-Saharan hospitality buyers and reinforcing attendee density for both events.

As of 2025–2026, Africa Food Show is operating as the second edition of a recently launched event brand, with a strategic rebrand to Anuga Select South Africa planned for 22–24 June 2027. This transition brings the global Anuga trade show brand — operated by Koelnmesse — into the African market, effectively replacing the Africa Food Show name with a globally recognized F&B exhibition identity. The event is owned and operated by dmg events, a UK-based global exhibitions organizer with a broad portfolio across construction, energy, coatings, transport, hospitality, and design, and holds UFI, SISO, and AAXO industry memberships.

Name

Africa Food Show

Legal name

Africa Food Show

Website

https://theafricafoodshow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Africa Food Show is a Cape Town-based B2B trade exhibition operated by dmg events and Koelnmesse, connecting international food and beverage suppliers with African buyers across retail, distribution, and hospitality. The annual event hosts 350+ exhibitors and 8,000+ trade visitors from 60+ countries, evolving into Anuga Select South Africa by 2027.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Exhibition Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)

Keywords

• Trade exhibition services
• Food and beverage events
• B2B trade shows
• Exhibition management
• Industry sourcing events

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Exhibition Stand Sales: Revenue generated from exhibitors booking exhibition stands to showcase their food and beverage products to trade visitors.
2. Sponsorships: Various sponsorship tiers including Platinum, Registration, VIP Lounge, Visitor Bag, Silver, and Workshop sponsorships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Africa Food Show is a B2B trade exhibition that connects international food and beverage suppliers and manufacturers with African buyers across retail, distribution, hospitality, and restaurant sectors. The 3-day annual event at CTICC Cape Town features 350+ exhibitors across six show sectors (Retail-ready Food, Beverages, Technology Solutions, Bakery, Catering & Bulk, New Trends), complemented by live culinary competitions, chef demonstrations, and industry workshops. Revenue is generated through exhibition stand sales and tiered sponsorship packages.

Product overview

Africa Food Show is a B2B trade exhibition for the food and beverage industry, evolving into Anuga Select South Africa in 2027. The event features multiple product sectors (Retail-ready Food, Beverages, Technology Solutions, Bakery, Catering & Bulk, New Trends) and live experiences including culinary competitions, chef demonstrations, and industry workshops. The show connects international suppliers with African buyers across a 3-day event at CTICC Cape Town.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Africa Food Show / Anuga Select South Africa Africa's most influential B2B food and beverage sourcing trade exhibition, connecting 350+ international and African exhibitors with 8,000+ trade visitors from 60+ countries across six show sectors (Retail-ready Food, Beverages, Technology Solutions, Bakery, Catering & Bulk, New Trends). The 3-day annual event features live culinary competitions, chef demonstrations, industry workshops, and co-location with Hotel & Hospitality Expo Africa at CTICC Cape Town.
• Exhibition Stand Bookings Exhibition stand booking service for international and African food and beverage suppliers, manufacturers, ingredient providers, and technology companies to showcase products at the Africa Food Show. Exhibitors book stands to generate leads, launch new products, and establish distribution networks across Africa.

Named customers22 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• dmg eventscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead event organizer and owner of the Africa Food Show brand. dmg events is a leading organizer of face-to-face events and publisher of trade magazines for international industries including Construction, Energy, Coatings, Transport, Hospitality & Design.
• KoelnmessecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal events partner bringing international reach through the Anuga brand. Partnership evolving the Africa Food Show into Anuga Select South Africa for 2027, leveraging Anuga's global F&B event brand.
• Dubai World Trade CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial strategic partner in launching the Africa Food Show, bringing experience from the Gulfood series.
• SA Chefs AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for culinary competitions including Game of Chefs, National Burger Challenge, and Global Pizza Challenge. Association provides judging and endorsement for live cooking competitions.
• South African Bakers AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for South Africa Bakers Challenge, connecting bakeries and baking professionals at the show.
• EconofoodsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor partner hosting culinary competitions including National Burger Challenge.
• Hotel & Hospitality Expo AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located event at the same venue (CTICC), bringing together suppliers and buyers from across sub-Saharan Africa's food, beverage, and hospitality sectors. Provides exhibitors access to professionals across both events.
• CircanaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Industry Index survey, collecting feedback from F&B sector on trends and topics. Results revealed at Africa Food Summit.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Gulfood (Dubai World Trade Centre): Gulfood is the world's largest annual F&B trade show held in Dubai and was the original strategic partner that launched the Africa Food Show in 2025. It serves the same supplier/buyer audience (international F&B manufacturers meeting distributors and retailers) and is the dominant incumbent that Africa Food Show must compete with for international exhibitor budgets.
• Alimentaria (Fira de Barcelona): Alimentaria is a major biennial food and beverage trade fair held in Barcelona, Spain, attracting international exhibitors including several Spanish and Mediterranean suppliers. It competes for the same global exhibitor pool as Africa Food Show and shares the Anuga-tier positioning of a top-tier F&B trade fair.
• Anuga (Koelnmesse): Anuga is the world's leading food and beverage trade fair held biennially in Cologne, Germany, and is now the global brand under which Africa Food Show will be re-launched as Anuga Select South Africa in 2027. It is both a partner and the highest-profile comparable event, sharing the same B2B F&B sourcing model and target exhibitor/buyer segments.
• FHA-Food & Beverage (Informa Markets): FHA-Food & Beverage is a major Asia-based F&B trade show run by Informa Markets in Singapore, attracting international exhibitors and African buyers seeking alternative global sourcing hubs. Comparable as a regional/global incumbent F&B sourcing event with similar B2B trade show economics.
• SIAL (Comexposium): SIAL Paris is one of the world's largest F&B trade fairs, run by Comexposium, attracting international exhibitors and African buyers seeking global sourcing partners. It competes for the same multinational exhibitor marketing budgets that Africa Food Show targets, though it serves a global rather than Africa-only audience.

Regional players

• SAITEX (SA International Trade Exhibition): SAITEX is a broad-based South African and pan-African B2B trade exhibition featuring food and beverage exhibitors alongside other consumer goods categories. It is comparable as a regional peer targeting African buyers and international exhibitors, though with a wider merchandise mix than Africa Food Show.
• ProPak Africa (Informa Markets): ProPak Africa is a leading packaging, processing, and food technology trade exhibition held in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is a regional peer for the Technology Solutions and Catering & Bulk show sectors at Africa Food Show, competing for the same processing and packaging technology buyer audience in sub-Saharan Africa.

Direct peers

• Africa's Big 7: Africa's Big 7 is a long-running food and beverage trade exhibition in South Africa that historically targeted African buyers sourcing from international suppliers. It is a direct competitor for exhibitor stand sales and trade visitor attendance across the African F&B sourcing category.
• Food & Hotel Africa (Hostex): Food & Hotel Africa is a long-established biennial food, beverage, and hospitality trade exhibition in Johannesburg, South Africa, run by dmg events itself. It is the most direct peer in the region, sharing the same organizer, similar sub-Saharan buyer audience, and overlapping F&B/hospitality verticals.
• Hotel & Hospitality Expo Africa (dmg events): Hotel & Hospitality Expo Africa is the co-located sister event run by dmg events at the same CTICC venue. It is a direct operational peer sharing logistics, venue, and exhibitor base, and provides cross-sector audience reach for the Africa Food Show.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/dmgeventsglobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/dmgeventsglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/africas-big-7

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Africa Food Show