Argentina Alimenta 2026: the COPAL Congress and the INTA Sessions will focus on the potential of the food and beverage industry

The food industry faces new challenges and opportunities, from the trends transforming global consumption to the development of technologies that can improve the quality, preservation and added value of food.

In this context, Argentina Alimenta 2026 will bring together companies, producers, buyers and industry leaders for an agenda that combines business, knowledge and innovation.

The COPAL Congress: Argentina Food Summit will take place during the fair. In addition, the INTA Food Sessions will focus on research experiences, developments carried out together with companies, and technologies with potential for transfer, scale-up and industrial application.

COPAL Congress: Argentina Food Summit, the industry that can feed the world

On Wednesday, November 18, from 2:00 to 5:10 p.m., the COPAL Congress will be held under the title “Argentina Food Summit: the industry that can feed the world.” The session will seek to answer one central question: why does Argentina have a real opportunity to produce, export and do business in food and beverages?

The event will begin with an institutional opening. It will be followed by the panel “Where is the world heading?”, which will address global trends, changes in consumer habits, culture and innovation, with the participation of Ximena Díaz Alarcón.

Next, the panel “Why Argentina?” will focus on the national industry’s capacity to respond to global demand, with data on its size, productive diversity, federal presence, value chains, international destinations and growth opportunities. Bodega Tapiz and Manfrey will also share their business experiences.

At 3:30 p.m. there will be a coffee and networking break for speakers, companies, authorities and guests to connect. During this break, COPAL’s sector report “Argentina produces everything the world demands” will be available via QR code, with information, data and maps on the country’s production and export capacity.

The program will continue with the panel “From producing value to communicating it,” a conversation on how to position Argentine products in international markets. It will bring together the perspectives of producers and exporters, the provinces and trade promotion agencies. Representatives from ProMendoza and PromArgentina will take part.

Between 4:25 and 4:55 p.m., the “Leadership Talks” will take place: three short conversations about the decisions that drive company growth, investment and transformation. The topics will be new market opportunities, production and technology, and innovation and adapting to changing consumers. Representatives from INCA and Entrenuts will take part.

The closing will be led by representatives of the UIA and COPAL. They will revisit the main topics of the day and share the industry’s challenges and opportunities, looking ahead to the future work agenda.

INTA Sessions: innovation and development for the food industry

The INTA Sessions will take place over two days of the exhibition. They will bring together researchers, specialists and company representatives to present progress, developments and experiences related to innovation and value addition in the food industry.

On Tuesday, November 17, the session will be dedicated to meat and meat products. The first block will run from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m., with presentations on:

• animal welfare assessment protocols as tools to promote value addition;
• meat quality and the use of fodder beet;
• quality and shelf life of fresh meat;
• meat authenticity to ensure food integrity.

The second block, from 12:50 to 1:30 p.m., will address new processing technologies for meat products, buffalo meat-based products and the development of compostable packaging for meat preservation.

On Thursday, November 19, activities will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a segment on dairy products. Developments to be presented include yogurt with omega-3 encapsulated in liposomes, Port Salut light+ cheese with phytosterols and natural antioxidants, freeze-dried mozzarella chips, selenium-biofortified dairy products, and powdered yeast made from whey for producing protein-enriched foods.

From 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., the focus will be on fruit and vegetable products. Experiences and progress will be shared on minimally processed fruits and vegetables, gene editing applied to potatoes, vegetable varieties for dehydration, upcycling fruit and vegetable industry waste into functional ingredients, and plums for industrial use.

Finally, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., the cereals, oilseeds and legumes block will take place. It will include presentations on quinoa-based fermented beverages, KIRA INTA rice, plant protein extraction for gluten-free foods, and the selection of legume varieties for plant-based product development.

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Through these activities, Argentina Alimenta 2026 will offer spaces for exchange and professional updates. Attendees can learn about the work of companies, institutions and research teams, and share the challenges and opportunities for developing the food and beverage industry.

More information: info@argentinaalimenta.com | prensa@apcogroup.co

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