A trade exhibition is the shortest route a businessperson knows to meeting dozens of suppliers or buyers in a handful of days, at far less cost than scattered individual trips. And 2026 carries a dense calendar between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia that deserves early planning, particularly after the 2025 agreements raised each side’s interest in the other.
What follows are the main stops in both countries, why each one matters, and how to prepare for it.
In Indonesia: the gateway to suppliers
Indonesia International Halal Industries Expo (Halal Indo 2026)
Held in September 2026 at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in BSD City near Jakarta. It is the most suitable stop for anyone importing halal food, cosmetics or supplements, and for anyone looking for a manufacturer holding current certification. Its importance is compounded by Indonesia’s move to require halal certification for most products, which makes what it shows among the readiest for the Saudi market.
Trade Expo Indonesia, in its forty-first edition
Held in October 2026 at the same centre. It is Indonesia’s largest export exhibition and its broadest by sector: food, furniture, textiles, rubber, paper and industrial goods. Its scale alone indicates its worth: the 2025 edition recorded deals approaching USD 23 billion with attendance above 34,000 visitors, among them more than 8,000 buyers from 131 countries.
Notably, the Indonesian Ministry of Trade issued an explicit invitation to Saudi companies to attend both editions, which signals a readiness to ease meetings and arrange appointments in advance for those who register early.
In Saudi Arabia: the gateway to buyers
ASEAN Expo Saudi Arabia 2026
Held in August 2026 in Jeddah, with pavilions for ASEAN countries including an Indonesian pavilion. This is the closest event geographically for a Saudi businessperson who wants to meet Indonesian suppliers without travelling, and it is accompanied by an event dedicated to Indonesian small and medium enterprises.
The food exhibitions in Riyadh
Riyadh hosts two principal food-sector exhibitions during 2026: The Saudi Food Show in September, andSaudi Food Expo in November, both at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Centre. They are the natural platforms for an Indonesian product seeking a Saudi distributor, and for a Saudi importer seeking new sources.
A practical note on timing
September 2026 is crowded: the halal expo in Jakarta and the food exhibition in Riyadh fall in the same month, days apart. Anyone targeting the food sector should choose, or split their team, rather than discovering the clash at the last moment.
The logical order for someone starting from scratch: attend the ASEAN Expo in Jeddah first in August, since it is the cheapest and nearest, and use it to screen potential suppliers; then go to Jakarta in October with a specific list of names instead of wandering at random among thousands of stands.
How to prepare before you book
Confirm the dates with the organiser directly. Exhibition dates change, and aggregator sites are not always updated. Rely on the exhibition’s official site before booking any ticket or hotel.
Set a numeric goal. “I want to see the market” is not a goal. “I want ten qualified suppliers across three categories” is a goal you can measure after the exhibition.
Request appointments before you travel. The best exhibitors have full schedules on day one. Whoever writes to them weeks ahead gets a session; whoever walks past the stand gets a brochure.
Prepare a profile in English covering what you buy or sell, your approximate volumes, and your certificate requirements. One clear page opens doors that general conversation does not.
Account for what comes after the exhibition. The real value is not in the meeting but in the follow-up over the following two weeks. Anyone who sets aside no time for it wastes the whole cost of the trip.
Note: dates and venues are compiled from the organisers’ published sources at the time of writing, and should be confirmed officially before making travel arrangements.
The Saudi-Indonesian Business Council follows the exhibition calendar in both countries and organises group participation for its members. Register your interest in the exhibition that serves your activity.