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The 28th edition of Bakery China has concluded at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, establishing a record participation with nearly 400,000 professional visitors and highlighting a major industry transition toward automated manufacturing and international market integration.

Co-organised by the China Association of Bakery & Confectionery Industry and Bakery China Exhibitions Co., Ltd., the four-day event spanned more than 330,000 square metres. The exhibition brought together 2,267 brands and companies from 79 countries and regions to showcase over 10,000 products, attracting trade visitors from 144 countries and regions.

According to the organisers, the event remains focused on driving high-quality development across the global bakery and confectionery sectors by facilitating international trade, operational insights, and technical skills development.

Scale and Global Participation

Bakery China 2026 demonstrated a significantly expanded international profile, with overseas companies and brands accounting for more than 20% of total participants. Exhibitors included major brands from Germany, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, the US, and South Korea.

A notable feature of the 2026 event was the "Belt and Road Bakery Theme Zone," which showcased ingredients and regional processing techniques. This area highlighted cross-cultural product development, specifically Western-style pastries utilising traditional Chinese flavours and Western technical applications in classic Chinese baked goods.

Reflecting the growing global integration of the Chinese bakery sector, the number of registered overseas buyers at the event increased by more than 60% year-on-year.

Support for International Export and Compliance

For the first time, the exhibition hosted a dedicated "Going Global" forum to assist Chinese enterprises in navigating international markets.

The forum provided practical resources and reference frameworks for companies looking to establish overseas operations. Discussions focused on key operational hurdles, including:

• Regulatory Compliance: Navigating international certification standards and food safety laws.

• Halal Certification: Understanding the requirements and supply chain audits required to enter Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern markets.

• Supply Chain Adaptation: Establishing localised ingredient sourcing and processing partnerships.

• Brand Communication: Managing cross-cultural marketing campaigns and developing international retail distribution channels.

Smart Manufacturing and Sector Innovation

The exhibition served as a launchpad for thousands of new products, with the Bakery China Innovation Award recognising 136 products from 122 companies across the fields of raw ingredients, processing equipment, and sustainable packaging.

Industrial automation and ingredient transparency emerged as the primary drivers of technical innovation at this year's event. Key themes included:

🤖 Smart Manufacturing: Fully automated artificial intelligence baking production lines and AI-driven vision quality control systems, designed to improve processing speed, reduce human error, and ensure complete product traceability.

🍫 Chocolate China 2026: The debut of a dedicated chocolate industry segment spanning 30,000 square metres, bringing together more than 150 global cocoa and chocolate enterprises to cover the entire chocolate value chain.

🌱 Clean Labelling: An industry-wide focus on natural formulations, sugar reduction, and sustainable ingredient sourcing to align with global consumer wellness trends.

Future Regional Events

Following the conclusion of the Shanghai event, the organisers have announced plans to expand their exhibition footprint into Southeast Asia.

The inaugural Bakery ASEAN exhibition is scheduled to take place in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 27 to 29 August 2026. Additionally, the domestic trade calendar will continue with the 11th Bakery China Autumn and the 9th China Home Baking Show, scheduled for 22 to 24 October 2026 at the Wuhan International Expo Centre.