foodpro 2026 opens at MCEC on 26 July
Foodpro 2026 will return to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 26 to 29 July after a three-year gap. The four-day event expects more than 450 exhibitors and over 9,000 industry professionals from the food and beverage manufacturing supply chain.
At the MCEC main entrance on 26 July, the Hon. Colin Brooks MP will open the show with a speech and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Brooks serves as Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing and Minister for Skills and TAFE.
Across four days, foodpro 2026 will cover eight industry segments. The exhibition will feature processing equipment, packaging solutions, ingredients, food science and sustainable manufacturing technologies.
Brooks took on the Industry and Advanced Manufacturing portfolio in December 2024. First elected as the Member for Bundoora in 2006, he has also held Housing, Multicultural Affairs, and Child Protection and Family Services roles, and he previously served as Speaker of the House.
According to the organisers, Brooks’ portfolios match a key 2026 theme at foodpro. That theme centres on skills for automation, digital technologies and sustainable production methods in food manufacturing.
Louise Brooks, foodpro Event Director, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Hon. Colin Brooks MP to officially open foodpro 2026.”
The Victorian Government’s role in the opening aligns with its support for advanced manufacturing, innovation and skills development in Victoria’s food and beverage sector. The briefing describes that sector as one of the state’s largest employers and export contributors.
AIFST Convention and PIDA Awards
Co-located events will include the AIFST Convention, AIP training sessions, the PIDA Awards Gala Dinner and the Industry Connect Evening networking function at Melbourne Public on the Yarra River.
Meanwhile, the exhibition floor will bring together suppliers and buyers across food and beverage manufacturing. Organisers say the range spans the production chain from processing equipment to packaging and finished product presentation.
Attendance is free for industry professionals, and registration is available at www.foodproexpo.com.
Louise Brooks also highlighted Brooks’ industry, skills and training briefs, as well as his Defence Industry responsibilities. She said those portfolios fit a sector that remains one of Victoria’s largest advanced manufacturing industries.
