One of Central and Eastern Europe’s most significant fora for the food industry and hospitality sector has concluded at Hungexpo in Budapest, once again proving that Hungarian innovations in this field rank among the international elite.
The three-day SIRHA event welcomed exhibitors from twenty-six countries and nearly twenty-seven thousand visitors between March 3 and 5. Participants had the opportunity to explore the latest industry trends and technological solutions, while also benefiting from excellent opportunities for both in-person and online networking. Hungarian presence was once again prominent, further strengthened by the joint stand of Enterprise Europe Network Hungary and the HEPA Hungarian Export Promotion Agency.
Enterprise Europe Network also organized a dedicated business matchmaking event during the exhibition. 25 Hungarian companies participated in the in-person meetings held on March 3. These meetings play an increasingly important role each year in identifying export opportunities and establishing new international partnerships. As a continuation, online meetings held over the following two days provided additional networking opportunities. Hungarian companies and their foreign partners conducted a total of 53 bilateral meetings.
The 2026 SIRHA Budapest exhibition also hosted several prestigious professional competitions. The Public Catering Chef Competition was held for the tenth time, where participants competed in categories including child and student catering, workplace catering and institutional adult catering. The first semi-final of The Cake of Hungary competition also took place at the event, attracting a record number of entries. Significant interest surrounded the Gelato Adventure creative competition as well, where pastry students and gelato masters presented their creations. Competitors also had the chance to compete for the title of Free-From Chef of the Year, preparing dishes exclusively free of gluten, sugar and dairy, as well as vegan meals.
The competition honoring the memory of János Pataki brought together professional and student pastry chefs who competed in several categories, including cake decoration, artistic pastry work, sugar flower compositions and savory petits fours. The Hungarian Pizza Championship was also held for the first time, where participants showcased their skills in the Classica, Napoletana, Romana and the paired Pizza a due styles.
Many Hungarian teams and talents achieved outstanding results in these competitions, further strengthening Hungary’s reputation in the world of culinary excellence. Together with the successful business meetings, this year’s SIRHA once again highlighted Hungary’s important role on the international gastronomic and food industry stage.