The world’s largest display of food products unfolded again this year in Miami
At the World Trade Center Miami’s annual Americas Food and Beverage Show, attendees experience the closest thing possible to teleportation – gustatory teleportation, that is. Rows and rows of booths featuring food from around the world transform the Miami Beach Convention Center into a bustling bazaar, where each turn takes you to a different country. You might begin in Spain, sipping Spanish wines while Michelin-starred chef Malyna Si explains the nuances of jamón ibérico. A few booths later, you could sample caviar and freshly cut toro from Japan. The rich aroma of French chocolate might lure you to the France pavilion, or the lively sounds from the next row could draw you to Brazil, where a caipirinha made with authentic cachaça and imported passion fruit awaits.
Every year, the Miami Beach Convention Center undergoes this nourishing transformation, but this year’s show (September 16-18) was the WTC Miami’s largest and most influential yet. Hosting 735 exhibitors with 950 booths representing over 90 countries, WTC Miami attracted buyers from across the globe. This year saw more than a 40 percent increase in attendees, with over 10,000 buyers attending.
“This has been a record year for us [and] we’re already seeing interest in next year’s show,” says Ivan Barrios, CEO and president of WTC Miami. According to Barrios, WTC Miami has already secured more space for next year, expanding from three to four halls, and tickets are already 45 percent pre-sold.
Barrios attributes the show’s success to several factors, including WTC Miami’s strategic partnerships. This year marked the first collaboration between WTC Miami and Informa Markets, one of the largest event companies in the world, to co-host Informa’s Food and Hospitality LATAM (FHL) show. Focusing on food service and equipment, FHL complements AF&B’s traditional food product showcase, adding a new dimension. The collaboration created a one-stop shop for many buyers says Barrios, a partnership that WTC Miami will continue at least through 2026.
WTC Miami also hosted the Latin Chamber of Commerce of the USA (CAMACOL) for its 45th Hemispheric Congress during the show. This gathering of leaders from Latin American Chambers of Commerce focused on strategies to increase trade within the region. Barrios says holding the event at the Americas Food and Beverage Show allowed business leaders to explore opportunities they could offer their countries.
Barrios says the show’s growth is also tied to its increasing value. To enhance this value for buyers and exhibitors, WTC Miami continued using its AI-powered show app, which debuted last year. The app matches buyers and exhibitors based on profile details, streamlining meetings and connections amid the busy atmosphere.
WTC Miami hosted around 100 buyers at the show, covering their lodging costs and waiving admission fees, to generate new markets. WTC Miami also collaborates with the U.S. Foreign Agriculture Service as well as various food and beverage associations to help recruit ideal buyers. An essential aspect of this process, Barrios explains, involves soliciting feedback from exhibitors about the types of buyers they seek – all part of WTC Miami’s mission to foster international trade and collaboration within the food and beverage industry. He says next year’s show will be even bigger.
