The country’s major food trade show returns this May with regional ingredients, chef collaborations, and this year’s Katha Award winners.
Filipino food has always made an impression. It can be sour, sweet, salty, smoky, creamy, crunchy, and deeply nostalgic—sometimes all in one meal. But beyond the dishes we know by heart, there is also a growing world of Filipino food products trying to find their place on bigger shelves, in more kitchens, and, eventually, in markets outside the country.
At IFEX Philippines 2026, those local food ideas get room to be seen by buyers, chefs, distributors, and food industry players looking for what’s next.
Related story: What we’re loving in Cebu City—and no, it’s not lechon
Related story: Ube is having a moment, and the world is catching on
The country’s major export-oriented food trade show returns from May 21 to 23 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, bringing together local food brands, buyers, distributors, chefs, exporters, and industry players. Organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), this year’s edition carries the theme “Tropical Flavors for the World,” which will show that Philippine ingredients have range, and more people should be appreciating and paying attention to what we can offer.
IFEX isn’t really the kind of event where you just wander around while snacking your way through booths—though, honestly, that’s a big part of the fun. At its heart, it’s a sourcing event. It’s where Filipino food producers get to meet the people who can actually take their products further like buyers, retailers, importers, distributors, chefs, and everyone in between.
What makes it especially interesting is the spotlight on the country’s tropical bounty like coconut, mango, pineapple, seafood, grains, condiments, and regional crops.
The Katha Award winners are the products to look out for
The winners this year cover a pretty wide range. Golden Flavors Shortcakes took Bakery Products and Confectioneries with its tropical-flavored shortcakes in jackfruit, durian, and pineapple, while the Beverages award went to The Power of Slow Carbonated Coconut Flower Nectar Drink, a sparkling drink tapped from coconut flowers.
In Functional, Healthy and Alternative Foods, MungGo! came out on top with its instant mung bean porridge in flavors like chicken arroz caldo, chocolate, and ginataang munggo. Sticking with coconut, Cócoes Coconut Aminos Crema Balsamico won Processed Fruits and Vegetables (including Sauces and Condiments) for its coconut-based take on balsamic.
The Seafood category went to Gourmet Tahong, which gives local mussels a simple upgrade in olive oil, with buttered garlic and adobo variants. For Snacks and Ready-to-Eat, Kangkong Chips in Sinigang Flavor took the win—pretty much exactly what it sounds like—and Marcelo’s Microcreamery rounded things out under Specialty and Gourmet with an ice cream line built around Filipino dessert flavors like latik, bilo bilo, and mangga’t suman.
A couple of special citations also stood out. Blumies Chewy Fruit Snacks was recognized for Best in Packaging Design, with flavors like apple and hibiscus, grape and sakura, and strawberry and rose, while What the Puff! Puffed Adlai Snack earned a citation for Innovative Breakthrough in Versatile Healthy Snacking. It’s puffed snacks made from adlai, a native grain.
IFEX Kitchen adds the story behind the ingredients
Beyond the products, IFEX Philippines 2026 is also bringing back IFEX Kitchen, a collaborative space where chefs work with local ingredients and show how they can be used in more creative ways.
This year’s program includes Chef Miggy Cabel Moreno, the chef behind Palm Grill and Cabel, both recognized as Michelin Bib Gourmand selections. Moreno is known for championing Tausug cuisine, with dishes rooted in the flavors of Southern Mindanao, including seafood, spices, coconut, and halal-friendly food traditions.
Food content creator Abi Marquez is also part of this year’s lineup, joining as a Food Philippines Advocate par Excellence and one of the judges for the KATHA Award. It’s a fitting addition, since food discovery these days happens just about everywhere—trade shows, restaurant tables, grocery shelves, and yes, the very persuasive TikTok videos that somehow always end up on your feed.
What you can expect at IFEX Philippines 2026
The event will feature different spaces for buyers and visitors to explore. The FOODPhilippines Trade Hall will gather local brands, regional exhibitors, and business solutions. The International Hall will bring in foreign participants and global food trends. The Marketplace will allow visitors to purchase selected products on site.
There will also be IFEX Talks, where industry experts discuss topics relevant to food businesses, from certification to logistics. GMART, or Grocer’s Exchange Mart, will connect MSMEs with retailers for private label, white label, and toll manufacturing opportunities. Flavor Finds will spotlight new and emerging products, including the latest KATHA Award winners.
Related story: A closer look at Likhang Filipino Exhibition Halls and why they’re worth visiting more than once
Another key feature is the Sustainability Solutions Exchange, which focuses on eco-friendly packaging, green technologies, waste management, and other solutions that support a more responsible food ecosystem.
For businesses, it is a chance to meet potential buyers and partners. For food lovers watching from the sidelines, it is a useful preview of what could soon appear in supermarkets, restaurants, online shops, and export shelves.
Filipino food is still finding new ways to travel
It is moving from farms to factories, from family recipes to packaged products, from regional kitchens to trade booths, and from local markets to international buyers. Not every product will become the next big export hit, of course. But events like IFEX show how much work is happening behind the scenes to make Filipino food more visible, more competitive, and easier to bring to new markets.
And sometimes, that future looks like coconut nectar in a can, tahong in a jar, munggo in a pouch, or sinigang-flavored kangkong chips.
IFEX Philippines 2026 runs from May 21 to 23, 2026, at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City. To know more about the event, visit ifexconnect.com.
Related story: Halo-halo hotspots: 5 Metro Manila finds for a fresh, flavorful fix
Related story: The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026 is out and Yardstick is the Philippines’ sole entry at No. 34
