18 • July | August 2026 • abasto.com BY ABASTO T he 13th edition of Alimentec | Anu- ga Select Colombia 2026, held at Corferias (Bogotá), concluded with resounding success. This year marked a historic milestone with the event’s for- mal integration into the global Anuga ne- twork, the world’s largest specialized trade fair ecosystem. The event attracted more than 39,000 trade visitors and brought together more than 650 exhibitors with delegations from 22 countries. On the business front, the trade show exceeded expectations by generating pro- jected business deals worth more than 16 million USD and securing 1,270 business meetings through a business matchma- king session that connected 107 national and international buyers from 18 coun- tries with 384 exhibitors. Well-established companies took advan- tage of the event to expand: Grupo Diana officially launched its institutional line, “Diana Profesional.” At the same time, Aví- cola El Guamito secured market entries into destinations as diverse as Chile and Greece. The Highlight of Alimentec The central theme of the fair was “Origin Matters,” in response to a strong global trend in which consumers demand transparency about the origin and impact of food. The new unprocessed foods pavilion, focused on the value of origin, became one of the most popular stops for industry professionals. In addition to its commercial success, the fair stood out for its robust academic and experiential components, offering 168 activities (including 143 talks, 17 workshops, and 8 masterclasses) led by approximately 220 speakers. These activities were distributed across nine specialized zones, such as the Food Innovation Summit and Cooking Shows. One of the most memorable moments was the qualifying round of the Paco To- rreblanca International Haute Pâtisserie Award, where chef Jonathan Buitrago won the professional category with his “Macondo” cake, securing his spot to re- present Colombia in the final in Spain. Corferias and Koelnmesse are planning the next edition of Alimentec for June 6–9, 2028. Colombia’s Alimentec 2026 Draws 39,000 Buyers, Joins Anuga Network Save the date: AT THE HALLWAYS 1. Cristian Guarín and Alberto Almanza, organizers. 2. Luis García of Salsa Huichol. 3. Pelayo Soneira of AVANTI. 4. Isabella Vernaza of Ventonilli. 5. José Abad and Sergio Sarmiento of Alquería Colombia. 6. José Calderón and Luis Hernández of Coope- rativa Colanta. 1 2 3 5 6 4 • TRADE SHOWS