Freskon 2026 reports sharp rise in international trade visitors and B2B activity

Freskon 2026 closed with stronger international participation, higher trade attendance, and a significant increase in business networking activity, reinforcing the exhibition’s position as a key fresh produce trade platform for the Balkans and Southeastern Europe.

Held from April 23 to 25 at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition & Congress Center and organized by TIF-HELEXPO, the event hosted 230 exhibitors from 10 countries across 12,500 square metres of exhibition space.

According to the organizers, total attendance exceeded 4,550 visitors. Trade visitors increased by 10% compared with the previous edition, while group trade visits rose by 50%.

International participation also expanded considerably. Foreign trade visitors increased by 32%, with attendees arriving from 37 countries.

B2B meetings

Through the exhibition’s Hosted Buyers Programme, 121 buyers from 30 countries participated in more than 2,800 pre-arranged bilateral B2B meetings.

Delegations from Balkan markets played a major role in this year’s edition. Freskon welcomed around 100 trade visitors from North Macedonia and 50 from Bulgaria as part of targeted group missions.

One of the most active international delegations came from Madrid’s central wholesale market, with representatives from six Spanish companies — Cultivar, CIA FRU&VER, Frutinter, Frutas Marpa, Verduras Marcafrut, and Champiñones Cumar — participating in more than 170 scheduled meetings with Greek businesses. The delegation also visited the Thessaloniki Central Market and met with executives from OKAA as part of efforts to expand export opportunities for Greek produce.

Parallel events

Alongside the exhibition, Freskon hosted several parallel events focused on retail, production trends, and supply chain developments.

The FreshCon Market initiative, organized with FRUITONEA magazine, brought together producers and representatives from 16 supermarket chains across Greece and the Balkans, aiming to strengthen direct links between growers and retail buyers.

The programme also included the 2nd International Cherry Conference, workshops dedicated to berries and industrial clingstone peaches, and thematic sessions examining digital tools, traceability, logistics, and fresh produce preservation technologies.

International outreach

Earlier this year, Freskon Greece also participated for the second consecutive time in Fruit Attraction São Paulo, where it organized the official Greek presence at the exhibition.

A total of 11 Greek companies took part individually or through regional institutions, focusing mainly on kiwifruit exports and trade development opportunities in Latin American markets.

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