Held at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 22-23 September 2026, Vitafoods Middle East and Africa aims to connect stakeholders from across the region’s nutraceutical industry, including manufacturers and distributors of finished products and ingredients, contract manufacturers, and private label manufacturers.
The event will serve the entire geographical region from South Africa – the region’s largest nutraceutical market, with an expanding middle class and advanced retail and online channels – to the UAE, which is tipped to be the fastest-growing market for the period 2025 to 2030, according to Bonafide Research.
Building on the success of the three existing events – Vitafoods Europe in Barcelona, Vitafoods Asia in Bangkok, and Vitafoods India in Mumbai – Vitafoods Middle East and Africa will become a one-stop shopping point for the nutraceutical industry to source ingredients for food supplements and nutraceutical products; finished dietary and nutraceutical products; contract manufacturing services; equipment; and other services such as consulting.
MEA market undergoing ‘rapid and dynamic’ expansion
Informa Markets, the organiser of the Vitafoods events, identified a clear gap in the market where nutraceutical sector stakeholders’ needs were not being met. The Middle East is among the top three regions globally where exhibitors at Vitafoods Europe operate, and one of the top three regions they trade with.
Research conducted by Vitafoods also found that 46% of visitors to its existing events either currently operate in, or are planning to operate in, the Middle East, which ranks among their top export markets.
Such interest in the region is being fuelled by a shift towards healthier living in urban hubs in countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Egypt, where consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of healthy lifestyles.
Several government initiatives are also actively promoting healthy lifestyles. In 2022, for instance, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) launched the National Wellbeing Strategy 2031 and the National Nutrition Strategy 2030 to establish sustainable nutritional systems and reduce obesity rates.
Meanwhile, robust economic development in the region is contributing to the expanding consumer base.
Julien Bonvallet, group brand director at Vitafoods, said: “The Middle East and Africa nutraceutical market is really undergoing a rapid and dynamic expansion, and that’s due to the increasing health consciousness of consumers and a demand for preventive healthcare.
“We see there is a strong interest from our customers in an event that will help them expand further or develop their business in the region. We announced the launch of this event a few weeks ago and we’ve been overwhelmed with the response so far, with strong interest from many, many of the key players.”
Dubai: A purpose-built city for business
Buoyed by such market dynamics, the team behind Vitafoods Middle East and Africa is confident that the event will grow quickly, while the Dubai World Trade Centre offers the possibility to expand to a large-scale exhibition in the long term.
“Dubai is a purpose-built city for business and an ideal location at the cross-section of Europe, Asia, and Africa, which makes it a natural hub for global trade and business,” Bonvallet said.
“At Informa, we organise quite a large number of events in the UAE, including events with relevant audiences – CPHI MEA and the World Health Expo, for example – so we’re very familiar with the infrastructure, the venues, and all the services that we’ll need to deliver a great event for our customers.”
He added: “Dubai is a major business hub so, of course, it is convenient to access, and it will help us attract buyers from not just the Middle East, but also farther away – countries like South Africa, India, and the rest of the African continent.”
Thanks to its dedicated networking events, Vitafoods Middle East and Africa will offer attendees the opportunity to foster high-value connections with like-minded industry stakeholders.
A conference theatre featuring expert presentations and panel discussions will also help attendees deepen their understanding of key issues impacting the region’s nutraceutical market, from consumer trends to regulatory developments.
