Record Attendance Marks Shanghai Bakery Trade Show

Bakery China 2026 concluded May 23 at Shanghai's National Exhibition and Convention Center, drawing nearly 400,000 professional visitors from 144 countries and regions. The four-day event featured 2,267 brands and companies from 79 countries across 330,000 square meters of exhibition space, showcasing more than 10,000 products.

International participation strengthened this year, with overseas brands accounting for more than 20% of exhibitors—including representatives from Germany, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, the U.S., and South Korea. The number of overseas buyers increased by over 60%.

New Push for Chinese Exports

For the first time, Bakery China hosted a "Going Global" forum addressing international compliance certification, halal certification, supply chain adaptation, overseas channel development, and cross-cultural brand communication. The initiative reflects the event's expanded focus on helping Chinese bakery enterprises enter global markets.

A "Belt and Road Bakery Theme Zone" highlighted ingredients and techniques from Belt and Road Initiative countries, while cross-cultural product fusions—such as "Chinese flavors in Western-style pastries" and "Western techniques in traditional Chinese bakery"—emerged as exhibition highlights.

Innovation Takes Center Stage

The event recognized 136 new products from 122 companies through its Bakery China Innovation Award, spanning ingredients, equipment, and packaging. Exhibitors showcased fully automated AI baking production lines and AI vision quality control systems, signaling industry-wide shifts toward automation and traceability.

Bakery China 2026 also debuted Chocolate China 2026, a dedicated chocolate exhibition spanning 30,000 square meters with over 150 global cocoa and chocolate enterprises covering the entire supply chain.

Expansion Plans

Organizers announced a first-time Bakery ASEAN exhibition launching August 27-29 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The 11th Bakery China Autumn and 9th China Home Baking Show will follow October 22-24 at Wuhan International Expo Center.

"Bakery China will continue empowering high-quality development of the bakery industry, facilitating business matchmaking, trend insights, resource integration, skills enhancement, brand exposure, and global exchanges," said Zhang Jiukui, president of the China Association of Bakery & Confectionery Industry.

According to Cai Yi Cheng, president of the Malaysian Bakery and Confectionery Union, "Bakery China is a world-leading bakery exhibition and an excellent platform for understanding industry trends, finding inspiration, and sourcing products."

Why It Matters

For international bakery operators, the 60% jump in overseas buyers and China's new export-focused programming signal strengthening supply chain connections and market opportunities in Asia's largest bakery market. The automation and quality-control technologies on display reflect where equipment manufacturers are investing—critical for operators evaluating production upgrades.

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Written by FBM Publications Editors