From 29 July to 1 August 2026, the National Support Centre for Agriculture (KOWR), in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, organised Poland’s first national stand in the Philippines, at WOFEX (World Food Expo) in Manila. The initiative responded to growing interest in Polish food in the Philippines.
The Polish national stand at WOFEX 2026
Poland’s agri-food sector was represented by 11 companies at this year’s WOFEX. Our businesses presented meat and dairy products, confectionery and snacks, processed foods and semi-finished products for the food industry to prospective partners from the Philippines.
The Polish stand was officially opened on 29 July 2026 by Stefan Krajewski, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Piotr Kolada, Deputy Director General of the National Support Centre for Agriculture; Katarzyna Wilkowiecka, Chargée d’Affaires at the Polish Embassy in Manila; and Paweł Meyer, Chief Veterinary Officer.
Daily cooking demonstrations at the national stand introduced visitors to classic Polish dishes made with different types of meat. These included breaded pork loin cutlets, braised beef slices, poultry and beef broth, barley soup with ribs, grilled pork neck, and grilled chicken breasts and thighs.
The trade mission accompanying WOFEX 2026
On 28 July 2026, the day before WOFEX opened, KOWR, in cooperation with the Union of Producers and Employers of the Meat Industry (UPEMI), organised a seminar and B2B meetings with Philippine importers and industry organisations for the Polish companies exhibiting at the national stand. The businesses also had the opportunity to visit three retail chains in Manila.
Seminar participants were welcomed by Katarzyna Wilkowiecka, Chargée d’Affaires at the Polish Embassy in the Republic of the Philippines. Stefan Krajewski, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, opened the event, highlighting the importance of developing Polish food exports and economic cooperation between Poland and the Philippines. Piotr Kolada, Deputy Director General of KOWR, presented the potential of Poland’s agri-food sector. Wiesław Różański, President of UPEMI, delivered the opening address on behalf of the meat industry. Jacek Zarzecki, Vice-Chairman of the Polish Sustainable Beef Platform, discussed the opportunities and challenges of cooperation with the Philippines in the beef sector, while Przemysław Gostkiewicz, President of Sokołów S.A., addressed the pork sector.
The accompanying programme aimed to raise awareness of Polish food, develop trade contacts and support the expansion of Polish businesses in the Philippines and the ASEAN region.
WOFEX in Manila
Held since 2000, WOFEX is the Philippines’ largest and best-known trade fair for the food, catering and HoReCa sectors. The event brings together food producers, importers, distributors, retailers and foodservice professionals in the country. This year’s edition took place simultaneously at the World Trade Center Metro Manila and the SMX Convention Center Manila, attracting exhibitors from dozens of countries and thousands of professionals from the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
The fair covers food products, including beverages, dairy products, meat, fish and seafood, confectionery and snacks, as well as food industry technology, catering equipment, packaging and solutions for the HoReCa sector. It provides an important platform for promoting exports and establishing trade contacts with importers and distributors operating in the Philippines and other ASEAN countries.
Polish agri-food exports to the Philippines
The Philippines is one of the leading destinations for Polish food in Southeast Asia. The value of Polish food exports to the Philippines has risen steadily in recent years, reaching a record EUR 81.3 million in 2025.
Since 2009, the value of Polish food exports to the Philippines has increased more than twelvefold, confirming the growing importance of this market for Polish exporters. Poland also maintains a surplus in agri-food trade with the Philippines, which amounted to EUR 31.3 million in 2025.
Dairy products and poultry meat dominate the export mix, together accounting for more than 80% of the value of Polish agri-food exports to the Philippines. At the same time, sales of processed foods, confectionery, snacks and products for the foodservice sector are gradually increasing.
