The fifth edition of Anuga Select China successfully concluded on Apr 27-29, 2026 at the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center (Futian). This year’s event achieved remarkable results once again, reinforcing its position as a leading annual trade platform for the global food and beverage industry. Jointly organised by Koelnmesse, the China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-products, and the Shenzhen Retail Business Association, the exhibition saw a significant increase in international participation, while both the number and quality of on-site business matchmaking activities reached record highs.
The exhibition integrated three key elements — international sourcing, forward-looking technologies and efficient business networking — attracting 10,732 professional visitors, buyers, industry leaders and decision-makers from 69 countries and regions to Shenzhen.
Mr Michiel Kruse, managing director of Koelnmesse (Beijing) said: “Anuga Select China has truly become a hub for exchange and cooperation within the global food industry — where international perspectives meet local practices and business partnerships take root. The vitality and level of participation demonstrated at this year’s exhibition once again confirm that South China, particularly the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, is an indispensable strategic gateway for growth in the food and beverage industry.”
Rising international participation expands global influence
This year’s exhibition brought together 628 quality exhibitors from 32 countries and regions, covering the full food industry value chain from raw ingredients to end-consumer experiences. The international exhibitor lineup expanded significantly, with national and regional pavilions from the Côte d’Ivoire, the European Union, Ecuador, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Türkiye, the UK, Uruguay, and Thailand.
Key participating organisations and brands included the National Meat Institute of Uruguay, the Chamber of Commerce of Ecuador, the Korean GinsengGrowers Association of Geumsan, Thailand’s national soy milk brand Lactoasoy and Germany’s century-old olive oil brand Brändle. Strong international participation reflected continued confidence in the potential of the Chinese consumer market. Despite macroeconomic challenges, international food and beverage companies continue to view China as a core strategic market. Many exhibitors leveraged the Anuga Select China in Shenzhen to expand omni-channel expansion within China’s diverse consumer ecosystem.
Domestic participation was equally impressive. More than 150 enterprises from Jiangxi, Hunan, Shaanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Ningxia, Zhejiang and China State Farm showcased regional specialty products and innovations in local branding. Leading enterprises such as YANGQI, U100, and HUANGJI, offering new trend-setting directions and solutions to the market. Their presence offered buyers a complete view of both the global and domestic food and beverage landscape.
The strong presence of regional Chinese pavilions highlighted the transformation of local food industries from traditional bulk export models to branded, high value-added development. Together with growing international participation, this created a positive “dual-engine” growth dynamic driven by both domestic and overseas markets.
At the highly visited Ningxia Guyuan government-led pavilion, visitors discovered specialty products from one district and four counties. Among them, Ningxia Liupanchun Beef & Mutton Co Ltd, rooted at the foot of the Liupan Mountains for more than a decade, attracted considerable attention.
General manager Fang Xiang explained that the company integrates livestock breeding, processing, slaughtering and catering services, and has become one of the region’s large-scale specialty agricultural enterprises. Through participation in the Shenzhen exhibition, the company aims to pursue dual-track growth strategies:
“Domestically, we hope to leverage government procurement platforms and deepen cooperation with enterprises in the Greater Bay Area to strengthen the Guyuan yellow cattle brand and expand high-quality products nationwide. Internationally, after obtaining international certifications, we plan to enter markets such as Hong Kong and Malaysia, allowing our distinctive local flavours to reach overseas consumers.”
Technology and innovation drive exhibition upgrades
One of the major highlights of this year’s exhibition was the comprehensive upgrade of the Anuga Select China FoodTec Showcase for food packaging, technology and services. The zone focused on production innovation, sustainable processing, intelligent packaging and supply chain optimisation.
Leading technology companies including Bigtem, Matcon, Quadro and Starick showcased integrated solutions integrated solutions spanning production, packaging, food safety, and digital automation – injecting fresh momentum into the industry’s green and high-efficiency transition.
Among the many outstanding packaging enterprises, Guangdong Enpack Packaging Co.,Ltd stood out despite its low-profile presence.
Founded 20 years ago and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2017, the group has become one of China’s leading specialised metal packaging enterprises. Through continuous technological upgrades and lean manufacturing, the company remains at the forefront of the industry and is China’s listed company specialising in the full category of easy-open can lids.
With its headquarters in Shantou and intelligent production bases in Yangzhou, Weifang and Heilongjiang, the company has established a strong production and supply chain system backed by extensive technological expertise and mature manufacturing processes.
Sales director Ms Qiu Limei warmly welcomed visitors and explained that the company showcased a full range of high-tech packaging products at the exhibition to demonstrate its R&D and manufacturing capabilities.
Its product portfolio included:
- High-end beverage easy-open lids
- Tinplate and chrome-plated lids for canned foods
- High-pressure sterilisation-resistant aluminium easy-open lids
- Custom square and irregular-shaped lids
- High-barrier, easy-tear safety lids for infant milk powder
- Lightweight, easy-open, high-preservation aluminium lids for bakery, dried goods and snack products
The company’s products are now sold globally and have gained wide recognition from domestic and international customers due to stable product quality and technical support.
Ms Qiu noted that participation in the exhibition allowed the company to connect directly with the market, engage with upstream and downstream partners, and gather customer feedback to jointly develop high-performance, low-carbon and customised packaging solutions.
The company also highly praised the exhibition’s international influence while offering practical suggestions for future optimisation of exhibition hall layouts by product categories and industries to improve visitor navigation and matchmaking efficiency.
Green and sustainable packaging gains momentum
Beyond precision metal packaging, green and low-carbon development has become an irreversible trend in the food packaging industry.
Following this trend, visitors to Hebei Xiongan Lvpai Packaging Material Technology’s booth learned about the company’s environmentally friendly innovations. Export Manager Liu Shilong explained that the company, founded in 2005, integrates R&D, manufacturing and trade operations.
Since its establishment, Hebei Xiongan Lvpai Packaging Material Technology has focused on new materials and sustainable packaging solutions, aiming to overcome industry barriers through technological innovation and benchmark itself against international standards.
Since officially entering overseas markets in 2022, the company has rapidly expanded into more than 70 countries and regions, supplying packaging solutions for beverages, rice, snacks and feed products.
Hebei Xiongan Lvpai Packaging Material Technology successfully entered high-end European markets by meeting stringent environmental regulations and certification requirements, while also establishing a strong presence in Southeast Asia’s rice, coffee and agricultural sectors.
The company operates more than 20 intelligent production lines capable of providing customised services. Participation in the Shenzhen exhibition represented an important step in strengthening its brand visibility and connecting with global resources.
Jayson Liu said: “As a rising player, we hope to surpass overseas competitors in the fields of new materials and environmentally friendly packaging and become an industry-leading enterprise. In the future, we will continue focusing on sustainable packaging, optimising product structures and production technologies to better serve global customers.”
A Rich Lineup of Awards, Forums, and Culinary Experiences
Beyond the exhibition floor, Anuga Select China 2026 hosted a comprehensive agenda of side events that sparked industry dialogue and celebrated innovation:
- Innova X ACH 2026 Food & Beverage Trend Innovation Pioneer Award – Honoring 14 trailblazing products and concepts shaping the future of the F&B sector.
- The 5th Global Food Retail Market Trends Forum – Featuring deep dives into evolving consumer behaviour and retail strategies.
- The 3rd Fermented Food and Nutrition Health Forum – Offering expert insights on functional ingredients and traditional fermentation technologies.
Across the all forums, 38 industry experts led insightful sessions, attracting over 500 professional attendees on-site, who explored topics ranging from shifting consumer dynamics to functional nutrition and fermentation innovations.
Culinary professionals were drawn to immersive experiences such as the Taste the Seasons – East-West Culinary Challenge. The live competition proved to be a major focal point for industry buyers, delivering diverse cross-cultural culinary moments that showcased how seasonal ingredients can be applied in innovative ways. The enthusiastic response from attendees underscored the event’s success in highlighting emerging market trends and creative product applications.
Equally compelling was the Foodie Space, where live cooking and tasting sessions drew invited guests and sustained buyer attention. Three exclusive showcases – the UK Premium Pork Exclusive, Irresistible Europe: Live Cooking & Tasting, and Uruguayan Beef Exclusive – each offered buyers a direct taste of authentic international ingredients while demonstrating practical product applications and future market directions. The sessions generated strong positive feedback, reinforcing the Foodie space as a vital platform for experiential learning and industry networking.
Precise business matchmaking delivers strong results
To improve trade efficiency, the exhibition collaborated closely with key enterprises, trade organisations and industry media from Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhuhai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao, successfully inviting 183 high-quality buyers to participate in business matchmaking activities.
Through precise pre-show matching of exhibitor products and buyer demands, the organisers arranged multiple targeted sourcing sessions and one-on-one meetings. Ten domestic and international buyer delegations participated in face-to-face negotiations with exhibitors, while six themed business matchmaking sessions covered retail, e-commerce, imports/distribution, community group purchasing and catering channels.
The highly focused matchmaking approach effectively connected supply and demand, creating tangible commercial value for both exhibitors and buyers.
Looking ahead to 2027
Building on its strong growth momentum in recent years, Anuga Select China will return in 2027. The next edition will further strengthen its three core pillars — international pavilions, technology showcases and efficient business matchmaking — to continue driving high-quality development within Asia’s food and beverage industry.
Global food and beverage leaders gather to unlock south china opportunities
As one of South China’s largest and most international food and beverage exhibitions, the 2026 Anuga Select China served not only as a showcase of global resources, but also as a platform for identifying industry trends and inspiring business innovation.
Through this platform, the organisers hope to help global food and beverage enterprises further explore the vast opportunities of the Asian market centred around South China, while driving multidimensional upgrades in technology, flavours and business models across the industry.
All images courtesy of Anuga Select China 2026.
