Lucknow: The Indian Industries Association on Wednesday announced that the 11th edition of India Food Expo 2026 will be organised from September 18 to 20 at Regalia Greens in Lucknow, with a focus on strengthening
MSMEs, food processing industries and global business partnerships in Uttar Pradesh.
The announcement was made during the road show and curtain raiser press conference held at IIA Bhawan in Gomti Nagar.
Additional Chief Secretary, Horticulture and Food Processing, B L Meena joined the programme virtually and highlighted the vast potential of the food processing sector in Uttar Pradesh. He said the state government was giving priority to the development of the sector and encouraging investment in food processing industries.
An official from Invest UP, who attended the event as guest of honour, said the agency was committed to supporting entrepreneurs and investors at every stage, from registration to project establishment, while ensuring speedy resolution of industrial issues.
Assistant Commissioner of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Vineet Pandey said the expo would contribute significantly to the development of the food processing ecosystem in the state. He assured support to entrepreneurs on food safety standards, quality testing and compliance procedures.
During the programme, organisers launched the official logo, brochure, website and digital campaign for IFX-2026. A presentation on the expo highlighted B2B and B2G networking opportunities, franchise prospects, seminars and international participation.
IIA National Treasurer Awadhesh Agarwal announced the organising committee for the event. Vikas Khanna was appointed chairman of India Food Expo 2026, while Vaibhav Agarwal and Vidhu Gupta were named deputy chairmen. Former chairman Chaten Deo Bhalla and IIA Vice President Surya Prakash Havelia were appointed advisors to the committee.
The organisers said over 160 distributors are expected to participate in the expo, while embassies of more than 35 countries are being contacted for participation. Besides Uttar Pradesh, participants from Uttarakhand, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar are also expected to attend.
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According to organisers, the previous edition generated business worth nearly Rs 350 crore, while this year’s event is expected to facilitate business deals exceeding Rs 700 crore.
The expo will focus on food safety, smart packaging, alternative energy-based equipment, e-commerce and global supply chain systems for religious offerings.
IIA General Secretary Deepak Kumar Bajaj said Uttar Pradesh is one of the country’s leading producers of food products but still lacks strong national and global branding. He said the expo would provide MSMEs with a platform to strengthen packaging, branding and export opportunities.
Addressing the gathering, IIA National President Dinesh Goyal said India Food Expo 2026 would serve as a platform for economic growth, employment generation and agricultural value addition. He said Uttar Pradesh was emerging as a major hub for food processing and MSMEs had significant opportunities in packaging, branding, exports and e-commerce.
He said government schemes such as ODOP, PMFME and Startup India were creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs, while the increasing use of AI, automation and smart packaging technologies was transforming the food industry.
Goyal said the food processing sector had immense potential to generate employment in rural and semi-urban areas and appealed to investors, policymakers, banks and industry stakeholders to support the sector collectively.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Surya Prakash Havelia followed by the National Anthem. Organisers also expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya for their support towards the previous edition of the expo.
