The global leading platform for food and beverage supply, "Gulfood", announced its strategic expansion into the African continent by launching the "Gulfood 360 Africa/Kenya" exhibition, scheduled to be held in Nairobi from May 4 to 6, 2027. This announcement was made during the "Gulfood 2026" event in Dubai, confirming Kenya's selection as the official host country for the exhibition in Africa and enhancing its status as a primary gateway to the continent, opening up vast horizons towards global food systems, agricultural business, logistics, and innovation. The launch of "Gulfood 360 Africa/Kenya", which is supported by Kenya's Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Agriculture and Food Authority, and the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology, embodies a pivotal strategic partnership between the UAE and Kenya, based on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the two nations. The event aims to accelerate trade flows, attract foreign direct investment, and enhance regional value chains, cementing Africa's leading position in global food markets. Kenya's Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, stated that the launch of "Gulfood 360 Africa/Kenya" marks a pivotal moment in Kenya's trade and investment trajectory. She noted that, building on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the UAE and the wide-ranging structural reforms that accompany it, this event reflects a nation mobilizing its entire productive ecosystem to engage in global trade, solidifying its position as Africa's gateway to the world by connecting its farms, factories, and logistical corridors to international markets. Senator Mithika Linturi, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, affirmed that the agricultural sector is a cornerstone of Kenya's economy, contributing over a quarter of the GDP and supporting millions of households. He explained that "Gulfood 360 Africa/Kenya" reflects the country's commitment to transforming this agricultural strength into global opportunities and linking producers in Kenya and Africa to international markets. In the same context, Trixy Loh Mermand, Global Head of Organiser for Gulfood, highlighted that Kenya possesses prominent competitive advantages on a global level. She pointed out that Africa stands today at a genuine turning point, and the exhibition aims to bolster Kenya's role as a pivotal bridge for African products and innovations to reach international markets. This expansion carries a clear message that Africa's food economy is entering a new phase of growth, implementation, and competitiveness, led by Kenya with confidence and a clear vision. The "Gulfood 360 Africa/Kenya" exhibition serves as a catalytic platform to enhance value addition in the agricultural sector, boost export competitiveness, support agro-processing, expand the participation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), and drive industrial growth, cementing the Republic of Kenya's pivotal role as a leading commercial and food hub. The launch of the event marks a turning point, granting global buyers direct access to the continent's fastest-growing food supply centers through a reliable, unified trade gateway. Kenya's selection to host this event is driven by extensive strategic investments in infrastructure and advanced logistics services, including the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, development of regional airports, modernization of the Port of Mombasa, and the creation of multimodal trade corridors linking Eastern and Central Africa. Additionally, Kenya's leadership in green energy and smart climate development is a cornerstone of its competitiveness, as the country generates over 90% of its electricity from clean sources, providing investors in agriculture and industry with reliable, low-cost, and low-emission energy sources that align with global ESG standards. Kenya is a central axis in the growing landscape of food opportunities. Sub-Saharan Africa holds more than 60% of the world's unused arable land, and Kenya serves as a strategic gateway to the African Continental Free Trade Area, a market encompassing over 1.4 billion people. The country also leverages its role as a primary producer and exporter of tea, coffee, horticulture, and livestock to become an entry point for global companies seeking expansion and the building of flexible supply chains within an African food economy projected to reach $567.31 billion by 2032. Kenya is globally recognized as the "Silicon Valley of Africa" in innovation, leading advanced solutions in digital payments, logistics technology, smart agriculture, and artificial intelligence. The exhibition will spotlight the role of these technologies, digital commerce platforms, and climate analytics in developing food systems, enhancing supply chain traceability, reducing food loss, increasing farmer incomes, and building future-ready supply chains. The announcement of the exhibition follows Kenya's selection to also host the largest technical event of its kind in East Africa, "AI Everything x GITEX Kenya", scheduled for May 19-21, 2026, which reinforces its status as a pivotal hub for global events in trade and technology, highlighting the nation's strategy of leveraging major events to boost investments, partnerships, industrial development, and geopolitical presence.
