The Africa Food & Trade Forum is behind us. Over 100 participants discussed cooperation between Poland and Africa.

The first edition of the Africa Food & Trade Forum is behind us. Organized as part of the TAROPAK and POLAGRA trade fair block, the event gathered over 100 representatives of business, public administration, chambers of commerce, foreign trade support institutions, and diplomatic missions. The main goal of the Forum was to create a space for direct discussions on developing economic cooperation between Poland and African countries—primarily in the agri-food sector.

The Africa Food & Trade Forum was created in response to the growing interest among Polish entrepreneurs in diversifying their export destinations, as well as the increasing importance of African markets in global trade. The first edition of the event showed strong mutual interest in building economic relations between Poland and Africa.

The Forum was attended by over 100 people representing companies, public institutions, business organizations, and diplomacy. Polish producers interested in foreign expansion met in one place with business representatives from African markets seeking new products, suppliers, and cooperation partners.

Business, Administration, and Diplomacy at One Table

The international character of the Forum was emphasized by the presence of diplomatic mission representatives, including the Embassies of the Republic of Angola, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Senegal, and Tunisia.

The event was also attended by representatives of institutions and organizations supporting the development of international economic cooperation, including the National Support Centre for Agriculture (KOWR), the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH), the Polish-African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Polish Chamber of Commerce of Importers, Exporters, and Cooperation, the Oromia Chamber of Sectoral Association (OCSA), and the Algeria Poland Exchange Council (ALPECO).

Business was also strongly represented. Discussions included representatives of Polish food sector enterprises such as Damaco, SM Koło, Iglotex, Paula Fish, Greenyard, Agrico, ZM Biernacki, Kawiks, Smak Górno, Olewnik, Geo-Poland, Polsero, and Jantex, alongside entrepreneurs and organizations representing African markets.

Such a broad cross-section of participants allowed economic cooperation to be viewed from multiple perspectives—that of the producer, importer, export support institution, public administration, and diplomacy.

From Market Insights to Concrete Discussions

From the beginning, the Africa Food & Trade Forum was designed not just as a conference, but primarily as a platform for building direct business relationships.

The agenda combined insights into the potential of individual markets with the presentation of capabilities within the Polish agri-food sector, as well as B2B discussions between business professionals.

A key element of the event was the Polish Food Export Showcase, which enabled Polish producers to present their operations, export potential, and offerings to foreign partners. The next step consisted of B2B meetings—a space to transition from general interest in a given market to direct contact with a specific company or institution.

This is particularly important in the case of African markets, where understanding local conditions and building trust and direct relationships with partners are essential for developing long-term cooperation.

Africa: An Increasingly Important Destination for the Food Industry

A growing population, ongoing urbanization, the expansion of the middle class, infrastructure investments, and changing consumption patterns mean that many African countries are rising on the global business radar.

For Polish producers, this presents new opportunities, but also requires thorough preparation for expansion. Africa is not a single market—individual countries differ in trade structure, regulations, consumer needs, distribution channels, and business practices.

Therefore, one of the main objectives of the Africa Food & Trade Forum was to provide entrepreneurs with direct contact with individuals and organizations holding practical knowledge of specific markets.

POLAGRA Expands the International Dimension of the Fair

The Africa Food & Trade Forum aligns with the steadily growing international focus of the POLAGRA fair. For years, a vital component of POLAGRA has been the Hosted Buyers program, which brings selected importers, distributors, and buyers interested in Polish food products to Poznań.

The Forum expands on this model by focusing on building relationships with one of the most dynamically changing regions in the world.

With over 100 participants, the inaugural edition of the Africa Food & Trade Forum highlights the strong interest in this direction of cooperation. Even more important than the attendance numbers, however, were the discussions held in Poznań—between producers and importers, entrepreneurs and institutions, and representatives of Poland and African nations.

After all, it is through meeting, sharing information, and getting to know a potential partner that the journey toward long-term trade cooperation begins.

While the first edition of the Africa Food & Trade Forum has concluded, the conversations started during POLAGRA have every chance to continue long after the trade fair ends.