Nearly $60mln in business deals signed in three days at Fi Africa and ProPak MENA 2025 amid exceptional success and strong attendance
The two exhibitions recorded an exceptional commercial success, with nearly $60 million USD in deals closed over the three-day event, according to Explori, the official survey tool for the exhibitions. This represents a 55% increase in business volume compared to the previous edition—highlighting the exhibitions' growing impact on driving economic growth in the region. Reflecting the event's African focus, 89% of deals originated from Africa, while Asia and the Middle East each accounted for 3%, and Europe and the Americas each for 2%, with 1% from other regions. This underscores the event's role as a leading African business platform with expanding global engagement.
Over three days, the event brought together more than 400 exhibiting companies from Egypt, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe—including Italy, Germany, Turkey, India, China, the UAE, Malaysia, and Jordan—alongside representatives from government bodies and regional and international organizations. Leading companies such as Hi-Tek, UniOil, Kamena, and Mashreq participated, reflecting the growing confidence in the event as a key driver of innovation and strategic partnerships.
This year's edition featured a range of initiatives aimed at supporting the growth of the food manufacturing and packaging sectors and enhancing exports through education and training. Activities included panel discussions on value chains and industry challenges in Africa, held in collaboration with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), as well as a roundtable on reducing food loss and enhancing food security, co-organized by Informa, LibanPack, UNIDO, the World Packaging Organization, and Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands.
The exhibition also hosted specialized training programs in gelato making and baking arts, led by top French and Italian experts through partnerships with Auf and Valmar. Additionally, the annual Women in Food & Beverage Leadership Forum returned, featuring prominent female and male industry leaders to foster dialogue around leadership and empowerment in this vital sector. Notable speakers included Ms. Raluca Istrate, Sustainability Manager at EMEA Informa; Dr. Amany Shehata, VP of HR at Americana Foods; Ms. Sherine Shaban, Senior Director of People & Culture at Coca-Cola; Dr. Mona Samir, Director of the Public Awareness Department at the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA); and Ms. Amani Khalil, an athlete from Egypt's Iron Man team.
Other attractions included a 'Tasting Zone', live baking and dessert demos using healthy ingredients, and a 360° live cooking experience, adding a hands-on, experiential element that enriched the overall visitor experience.
Mostapha Khalil, Group Director at Informa Egypt, commented: 'This edition saw remarkable engagement—not just in terms of attendance, but also the quality of discussions and the scale of business taking shape. One highlight was the launch of our Business Matchmaking Program, which resulted in over 350 B2B meetings, opening doors for new collaborations among 200 top manufacturers, suppliers, and importers. Several commercial agreements were signed among nearly 100 exhibitors, reinforcing the exhibition's role in fostering industrial growth and regional and international partnerships.'
Mohamed Abdel Hamid, Exhibition Director of Fi Africa and ProPak MENA emphasized the importance of the event's dialogue sessions, particularly those organized with UNIDO. These included more than 70 educational sessions featuring 50 international speakers. He also highlighted growing interest from decision-makers in green technologies and sustainable packaging, reflecting a broader awareness of responsible industrial transformation. The exhibition received positive feedback from government and startup representatives alike. He noted Egypt's growing reputation as a regional exhibition hub, now ranked among the top five countries globally in this sector, thanks to its robust infrastructure and exhibition spaces. Informa's strategic expansion in the Egyptian market, he added, strengthens national economic contributions and helps open new markets for Egyptian exports, aligning with Egypt's Vision 2030.
This year's edition coincided with Global Exhibitions Day, marked by the presence of a high-level delegation from the Arab Union for International Exhibitions & Conferences (AUIEC), including its Secretary-General, Ahmed El-Deeb, Eng. Faiq Khayyat, Advisor to the Saudi Events Association, Mahmoud Moawafi, CEO of The International Team for Exhibitions Organization, and Dr. Mohamed Saad, Media Advisor to the Union. The celebration highlighted the vital role exhibitions play in driving economic activity, innovation, and international trade.
With this, Fi Africa and ProPak MENA 2025 conclude their largest edition to date, solidifying their status as a central platform for industrial development in the region, and setting the stage for even more impactful editions in the future. The event's success reflects Informa's commitment to reinforcing Egypt's position as a regional industrial and trade hub through events that combine knowledge, innovation, and strategic networking.
In line with its expansion plans in Egypt, Informa aims to organize 10 local exhibitions by 2025, along with a series of international events across food, agriculture, and industry sectors. This expansion is backed by Informa's global presence, with annual sales of £3.7 billion and exhibition business revenues exceeding £2 billion.
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