Cibus Tec 2026 Draws Record Surge in International Exhibitors and Expanded Exhibition Space

Cibus Tec, one of Italy’s leading trade fairs for food and beverage technologies, is set to return to Parma from October 27 to 30, 2026. Organizers report significant growth in both exhibitor numbers and international participation compared to previous editions. The event will take place at Fiere di Parma, a major exhibition center in northern Italy.

According to data released by Koeln Parma Exhibitions (KPE), the joint venture behind Cibus Tec, the 2026 edition will see a 20% increase in exhibitors and a 30% expansion in total exhibition space compared to the same period before the last edition in 2023. The international component is showing even stronger growth, with a 48% rise in foreign exhibitors and a 38% increase in space dedicated to international companies.

The previous edition in 2023 hosted over 1,200 companies from 30 countries and attracted more than 40,000 professionals from over 120 countries. Organizers expect these numbers to be surpassed this year, with professional visitor turnout projected to exceed the previous record.

A key feature of Cibus Tec is its Top Buyers Program, organized in collaboration with Agenzia ICE – Italian Trade & Investment Agency and supported by the Emilia-Romagna Region. In 2023, this program brought more than 3,000 international top buyers from over 80 countries. For 2026, the program has been further expanded to target strategic supply chains and new markets.

This year’s event introduces new dedicated areas for bakery and beverage technologies. The “Bakery? Yes, we tec!” section will showcase innovative equipment and solutions for the bakery sector, filling what organizers describe as a gap in the Italian market. Confirmed participants include Awema, Cake Concepts, Cepi, Fritsch, GEA, Handtmann, Rheon, Soren, Tanis Food Tec, and Tecnopool.

Similarly, “Beverage? Yes, we tec!” will focus on technologies for beverage production and packaging. Companies such as A DUE, Comac, Galdi, Krones, Matrix, Prismatech, Promec, Serac, SIG, Sipa, and Tetra Pak have already confirmed their participation. This area will address trends like ready-to-drink products, sustainability initiatives, equipment reliability, reduced consumption, and new packaging formats.

Cibus Tec continues to cover a broad range of food supply chains beyond bakery and beverages. The event will present solutions for processing fruit and vegetables, sauces and condiments, dairy products, meat and fish, ready meals, coffee, chocolate, and snacks. Cross-cutting technologies such as packaging systems, intralogistics and traceability tools, automation and robotics platforms, digitalization solutions, hygiene controls, energy efficiency measures, and environmental sustainability initiatives will also be featured.

A highlight of this year’s program is World Pasta Day on October 27 and 28. Organized by Unione Italiana Food and the International Pasta Organization (IPO), this global event will focus on evolving consumer preferences for pasta products as well as new nutritional requirements and sustainability goals. Topics include production efficiency improvements and innovations in packaging designed to reduce waste.

Cibus Tec is also expanding its global reach through the “Cibus Tec for Africa” project. This initiative aims to promote Italian food technology across Africa by building industrial and commercial relationships with local operators.

Running alongside Cibus Tec will be Labotec’s second edition on October 27 and 28. Labotec focuses on laboratory technologies for research and analysis across all manufacturing sectors including food and beverages. The concurrent events are designed to create an integrated ecosystem where production facilities interact with laboratory controls for quality assurance, safety checks, traceability systems, and innovation management.

For the first time this year entry to both Cibus Tec and Labotec will be free of charge for professionals. Organizers say this move is intended to encourage wider participation from industry experts while supporting the dissemination of technical and scientific knowledge presented at the fairs.

Cibus Tec is organized by Koeln Parma Exhibitions (KPE), a partnership between Koelnmesse—an international leader in trade fair organization—and Fiere di Parma. Koelnmesse is known globally for events such as Anuga FoodTec in Cologne as well as other FoodTech exhibitions in India and Colombia. Fiere di Parma operates one of Italy’s largest exhibition centers with a focus on supporting industrial growth through events like Cibus Tec.

More information about Cibus Tec 2026 can be found at www.cibustec.it.