Proudly Ugandan. Trusted Internationally.
Fruit Attraction
2026: Four Buyer
Meetings in Madrid
Fruit Attraction 2026 gave us four buyer meetings in Madrid, with importers from France, Germany and Spain. Here is how the show worked for a Ugandan exporter, and what buyers wanted to know.
Gold Award 2018/19
A premium origin since 2001 · Four buyer meetings in three days · Missed us in Madrid? Request an export quote
3
Days at IFEMA MADRID
4
Pre-Arranged Buyer Meetings
3
European Markets Met
28
Export Lines Presented
Our Week in Madrid, In Short
- Fruit Attraction 2026 ran at IFEMA MADRID from 6 to 8 October.
- Our Operations Director, Betty Kabahenda, attended with a group of African exporters supported by the International Trade Centre (ITC).
- She held four pre-arranged meetings with importers from France, Germany and Spain.
- Hot pepper and avocado drew the most interest.
What This Report Covers
- How big Fruit Attraction 2026 was, and who it serves.
- How a Ugandan exporter works a fair this size without a stand.
- What European buyers asked us.
- How to start with us if you missed Madrid.
Fruit Attraction 2026
at a Glance
Fruit Attraction is the autumn meeting point for Europe's fresh produce trade. IFEMA MADRID and FEPEX, the Spanish federation of fruit and vegetable producer-exporter associations, organise it every autumn. The 2026 edition filled ten halls.
The organisers' final figures show 128,364 trade professionals from 170 countries, up 6% on 2025. In all, 2,588 companies from 79 countries exhibited. China and the United Arab Emirates were the guest importing countries.
Growers, exporters, importers, wholesalers and retail buyers all attend. For an exporter, it means sitting across the table from the people who decide what lands on a shelf.
Where African
Exporters Fit In
International exhibitors filled the even-numbered halls. Outside hall 14, a banner pointed visitors to "Africa & Asia". Press reports put Egypt at around 90 exhibiting companies and Morocco's pavilion at 34 exporters. Kenya had its own national stand.
Smaller exporters often come through support programmes. ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. It brought exporters from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mashamba was part of that group.
How We Worked the Show
Without a Stand
A fair this size is hard to work by walking the aisles. CBI, the Dutch Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries, advises exporters to make appointments before they arrive. The ITC programme did exactly that.
A consultant hired by ITC arranged business-to-business meetings for the whole group. Each morning the group met for a briefing and reviewed the day before. Over three days, Betty held four meetings with importers from France, Germany and Spain. Every meeting took place as booked.
Each meeting was one to one. Our range, our pack sizes and our weekly programme to Europe were set out across the table.
What Buyers
Wanted to Know
The questions were practical. Buyers wanted to know how much we can supply, how we pack and how we protect quality. They also asked how commercial terms work with a new supplier.
Hot pepper and avocado drew the most interest. Full specifications for both are on our hot pepper page and across our product range.
What Stood Out
on the Show Floor
Presentation was polished everywhere. National pavilions told one origin story, and the larger stands used big product imagery to show where their fruit is grown.
At the entrance, panels promoting corrugated cardboard cited a 95% recycling rate across Europe. Packaging is now part of the sales conversation, not just a cost line. It is one reason we pack to each buyer's order.
Fruit Attraction 2026,
in Four Points
- Pre-booked meetings beat foot traffic. At a show of 2,588 exhibitors, a buyer's diary fills before the doors open.
- Buyers judge a supplier on detail. Clear answers on volumes, cartons and lead times build trust faster than a brochure.
- East Africa is stronger together. A regional group gave smaller exporters a presence no single company could match.
- The first order can be small. A trial shipment lets a buyer test quality before committing to a weekly programme.
About
Mashamba
Mashamba, FFP (U) Ltd exports fresh Ugandan produce by air from Entebbe. Our group has run export operations since 2001, through our parent company Icemark-Africa. The Mashamba brand has traded since 2008.
We source from a registered grower network, not our own farms. Our London programme flies from Entebbe to London Gatwick three times a week. We confirm the live timetable for every shipment. Our lead lines for Europe are hot pepper, sweet potato and garden egg (white African eggplant).
Missed Us
in Madrid?
The conversation is still open. Check what is in season on our availability calendar, and read our guide to choosing a Ugandan exporter. Then send us your requirements, and we will come back with availability and a quote.
Madrid 2026,
Your Questions
Quick answers on the show and how we took part. Want to talk about your lines? Speak with our export team.
When and where was Fruit Attraction 2026?
How many visitors and exhibitors did Fruit Attraction 2026 attract?
Where did African exporters exhibit at Fruit Attraction 2026?
Did Mashamba exhibit at Fruit Attraction 2026?
How were Mashamba's buyer meetings in Madrid arranged?
Which markets were the buyers Mashamba met in Madrid from?
Which Ugandan products interested buyers most at Fruit Attraction 2026?
What is the International Trade Centre (ITC)?
How can buyers who missed Fruit Attraction 2026 reach Mashamba?
Start Small,
With a Trial Shipment.
Tell us the lines you need, the volumes and your destination airport. We will come back with availability and a quotation.