The mango and avocado sectors will gather at Macfrut 2026. The key products of the 43rd edition of the trade fair, scheduled to take place at the Rimini Expo Centre from 21 to 23 April, will take centre stage at an international event bringing together the entire supply chain. The topics covered will range from production and marketing to the analysis of agronomic data, market trends, development opportunities and real-life case studies from leading global companies. This business event provides an opportunity to make new connections, enter into trade agreements and meet with top buyers.
The "Mango and Avocado Explosion" event, which will take place during the three-day trade fair, will focus on two products that are becoming increasingly important in the global market, with a combined business value of over $80 billion. This scenario is particularly relevant to Italy, as was discussed in an episode of the Macfrut Academy. According to data from ISMEA (the Institute of Services for the Agricultural Food Market), avocado imports to Italy surged between 2018 and 2022, with triple-digit growth (+120%). Italy is the sixth largest consumer of avocados in Europe. Its consumption has increased by 179% over the last five years, reaching around 40,000 tonnes, which makes Italy’s performance the second-best in Europe after Spain (+203%). ISMEA’s data also shows that the mango market has followed a slightly different trajectory, with imports rising significantly (+37%). Mangoes are bought by one in five households, mainly because people enjoy eating them. In the Macfrut Academy episode, Fabio del Bravo of ISMEA presented some interesting findings: "All available data indicates growth in avocado and mango sales in both the short and medium term."
Mango and Avocado Explosion
This three-day international event at Macfrut is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, 21 April at 2.30 pm with a session dedicated to Mangoes. First, there will be a presentation analysing production and markets, featuring contributions from Freshfel Europe – the forum for the European fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain – and Fruitmarket Agribusiness, a leading Dutch importer. The session will conclude with the presentation of case studies from three continents – Brazil, Colombia, Egypt and India – followed by a tropical cocktail.
On Wednesday, 22 April, the focus will be on Avocados. The World Avocado Organisation (WAO) and Europe’s leading retail groups will give presentations on production and markets. These will be followed by a discussion of case studies from Peru, Italy, Kenya and the Dominican Republic. A Cooking Contest & Light Lunch organised by IAL Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Lombardia is scheduled to begin at 1 pm. Business Meetings focusing on mangoes and avocados will take place in the afternoon (open to exhibitors only).
The final day, Thursday 23 April, will be dedicated to Italy: "Mango and Avocado: Opportunities for Southern Italy", bringing together Fruitimprese, academics from the University of Palermo, and professional organisations (Coldiretti and Confagricoltura), and featuring contributions from Italian companies. The day will conclude with two sessions, during which important case studies will be presented: "Mango and Avocado in Italian Retail" and "Producers and Nurseries Perspectives".
Participation in the conferences is free of charge upon registration. B2B meetings are only open to mango and avocado exporters who have applied in advance and are exhibiting at Macfrut.
Mango & Avocado Tastings
On 21 and 22 April, tasting sessions and an international cooking contest involving students and teachers will take place as part of a project curated by IAL Emilia Romagna, IAL Lombardia and IAL Friuli Venezia Giulia. The initiative, "Mango and Avocado in Catering: Techniques, Creativity and New Consumption Experiences", aims to promote the key products featured at Macfrut 2026 and showcase their culinary versatility through tastings, mixology shows and a cooking contest. On 21 April, a selection of cocktails and beverages featuring mango and avocado will be prepared. The following day, teams from the three IALs will participate in a cooking contest, each competing to create an original dish.
The "Mango and Avocado Explosion" event is promoted by Macfrut and organised by Omnibus, with Spreafico and Aweta as the main sponsors.
