Brazil achieves record participation at SIAL Shanghai 2026 and expands its presence in the Chinese market.

Brazil concluded SIAL Shanghai 2026 with its largest participation ever at the fair. Coordinated by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), the national delegation comprised 82 exhibiting companies, distributed across five pavilions, and consolidated Brazil's presence in one of the leading global showcases for the food and beverage sector. This number represents a significant increase compared to the previous edition, when 54 Brazilian companies participated. The expansion of the delegation between 2024 and 2026 demonstrates a more robust and diversified Brazilian presence in the Chinese market, with space not only for already established sectors such as proteins, but also for specialty coffees, Amazonian fruits, beverages, honey, nuts, processed foods, and socio-biodiversity products. More than the financial result, estimated at US$2.1 billion in immediate and future business, the edition's balance points to a strategic gain: Brazil brought more companies, expanded the variety of products presented, and strengthened direct contact between national exporters and Asian buyers. For Paula Soares, Agribusiness Coordinator at ApexBrasil, the record participation confirms the consistency of the work to strengthen ties with the Chinese market. “SIAL China 2026 showed a more diverse, better prepared, and more present Brazil. The growth in the number of participating companies is a concrete result of ApexBrasil's strategy of opening space for different exporter profiles, from traditional sectors to cooperatives and products with regional identity and higher added value,” she states. The 2026 edition also marked the debut in China of the Cooperate to Export program. The initiative brought to SIAL an exclusive pavilion dedicated to family farming, with ten cooperatives from different regions of the country. The group presented products such as açaí, specialty coffees, nuts, honey, wines, fruit pulps, and foods linked to Brazilian biodiversity to the Chinese public. The presence of cooperatives gave new weight to Brazilian participation. At a fair with more than 5,000 exhibitors and approximately 180,000 professional visitors, small producers had the opportunity to test products, build contacts, and better understand the dynamics of one of the world's most important consumer markets. Açaí was one of the highlights of this agenda. Producers from the Amazon presented products derived from the fruit, attracted the attention of Chinese buyers, and won an unprecedented innovation award. This recognition reinforces the potential of Brazilian foods associated with Amazonian origin, sustainability, and differentiation in the international market. The award also signals a change in how Brazil presents itself at major international fairs. The strategy is not limited to the scale of production. It increasingly involves valuing origin, quality, traceability, innovation, and regional diversity. The SIAL Shanghai 2026 trade fair was held from May 18th to 20th at the Shanghai New International Expo Center. The Brazilian agenda included business roundtables, tastings, meetings with buyers, and business forums. The president of ApexBrasil, Laudemir Müller, also participated in the Import & Export Food Forum, as part of the event's official program. With record participation, ApexBrasil concludes the 2026 edition with a positive balance of institutional and commercial expansion. Brazil left the fair with more companies exposed to the Chinese market, a greater diversity of products presented, and an unprecedented presence of family farming in one of the most competitive showcases in the food and beverage sector worldwide.

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.