Record Participation and Export Growth

PortugalFoods today made a positive assessment of the record participation at the ANUGA2025 food and beverage fair and anticipated growth in exports from the sector this year.

“Portuguese participation was the largest ever, with a very interesting group”, highlighted the executive director of PortugalFoods – Association of the Portuguese agri-food sector, Deolinda Silva, speaking to Lusa.

PortugalFoods took a record number of 49 companies to the biannual event that took place in Cologne, Germany, through an increased presence in sector pavilions.

Around 30 companies were in the pavilion with grocery products and the rest were present in pavilions dedicated to sectors such as dairy, hot drinks, bakery and pastry, frozen foods, meat and organic products.

In total, Portugal was represented by around 80 companies at this fair, including individual participations.

PortugalFoods’ objective is to continue to grow at this fair and also at SIAL Paris, highlighting that these constitute “world stages and business platforms” and that, therefore, there are new companies wanting to participate.

“The main objective is to look for business and this is a stage with buyers from all geographies, mainly Europeans, but also from the Middle East, Latin America, the United States or Africa. At a fair, business is worked on, but also innovation. Those who do their work from home also take the opportunity to schedule meetings with customers and suppliers”, said Deolinda Silva.

ANUGA2025 had around 8,000 exhibitors from 110 countries.

For the association, the “Portuguese spot” at the event always presents high quality companies and a vast diversity of products, in addition to innovation – factors that make the country stand out.

According to figures provided by PortugalFoods, Portuguese agri-food exports reached 10,000 million euros in 2024, a growth of 8.5% compared to the previous year.

The numbers for 2025 are not yet finalized, but the association anticipates growth, albeit more modest than that seen in the previous year.

“We are living in times of multiple crises that are cooling down this entire dynamic, but our hope is that the sector continues to grow”, said the executive director of PortugalFoods.