Sourcing your olive oil at trade shows

Q: Why do trade shows remain the best sourcing channel?

Short answer: a trade show condenses in three days what remote sourcing takes weeks to do: compare several exporters , taste side by side, verify the real existence of a company, its capacity and its documentary seriousness, and negotiate directly. You see the categories, the displayed certifications and the contacts — but a show does not

Q: What are the reference trade shows for sourcing olive oil?

The generalists SIAL (Paris, even years) and Anuga (Cologne, odd years) for Europe and retail; Gulfood (Dubai, February) for the Gulf and MENA; WOOE (Madrid) for very technical 100% olive oil sourcing; Fancy Food for North American premium retail. Choose according to your market and your channel.

Q: How do you prepare a trade show to source effectively?

Set quantified specifications (category, annual volume, packaging, incoterm, market, certifications) before leaving, make appointments in advance with the targeted exhibitors, and prepare an identical qualification grid for all. Without an objective, a show produces business cards, not suppliers.

Q: What should you bring back from a show for each supplier?

At a minimum: a recent COA (IOC-accredited lab), a sealed and dated sample , a written quotation (incoterm, port, MOQ, packaging), the verifiable certification numbers (organic, IFS/BRC), and proof of ONH export accreditation . Note everything on a qualification grid to compare coolly.

Q: How do you ensure follow-up after a show?

Follow up on D+2 with a personalised email requesting the formal quotation and the COA; on D+7 , compare the quotations brought back at an identical landed price and request a confirmation sample; on D+15 , conduct full due diligence on the finalists before any order. The value of a show is realised afterwards, not on the stand.

Q: How do you compare quotations brought back from several stands?

Bring each offer back to a comparable landed price : same category, same incoterm, same volume, same packaging. A "cheaper" oil in EXW may cost more landed than the same in FOB. Never compare two prices displayed under different conditions.

Q: What price benchmark should you have in mind before a show?

Tunisian bulk gravitates around 3.80 €/kg FOB for extra virgin, against 4.1–4.5 in Spain and 6.5–7.0 in Italy. A quotation clearly below the Tunisian benchmark should make you verify the real category and traceability.

Are you preparing a trade show to source your olive oil — SIAL, Gulfood, Anuga, WOOE — and do you want to return with qualified suppliers rather than a pile of business cards? This guide gives the complete method: choose the right show, prepare your visit, prospect and qualify the exporters on site, then ensure follow-up. Detailed buyer angle, with a "how to exhibit and get chosen" sidebar on the seller side. Show agenda, questions to ask, qualification grid and follow-up plan included.

Free PDF checklist: prepare, prospect and follow up on an olive oil show, in a one-page tick-box format. Get it by email »

Why do trade shows remain the best sourcing channel?

Short answer: a trade show condenses in three days what remote sourcing takes weeks to do: compare several exporters, taste side by side, verify the real existence of a company, its capacity and its documentary seriousness, and negotiate directly. You see the categories, the displayed certifications and the contacts — but a show does not replace due diligence: it accelerates it.

The trap is to go there without an objective and to leave with contacts you never call back. Effective sourcing is prepared before the show (specifications, appointments), qualified during (COA, sample, quotation) and transformed after (D+2/D+7 follow-up). The technical acronyms (COA, MOQ, FOB, IFS/BRC…) are defined in the glossary.

Which show to choose for your market?

Not all shows target the same buyer. Choose according to your target market and your channel.

Show	Location / rhythm	Profile	For you if…
SIAL Paris	Paris, biennial (even years)	Global food generalist	You target Europe and are looking broad (bulk + brand)
Anuga	Cologne, biennial (odd years)	Food generalist, strong in Europe	You aim at retail and the European private label
Gulfood	Dubai, annual (February)	Gateway to the Gulf, Africa, South Asia	You target the Gulf, halal, MENA export
WOOE (World Olive Oil Exhibition)	Madrid, annual	100% olive oil, very technical	You want specialised sourcing and quality
Fancy Food / Summer Fancy Food	USA, annual	North American fine grocery	You aim at premium retail and US FBA

Once the supplier is spotted, validate its category on a COA with the quality classifier and its file with the document checklist.

Key point: a specialised show (WOOE) already sorts the exhibitors for you; a generalist show (SIAL, Anuga) offers more volume but requires more qualification. Choose according to your market, not according to reputation.

Sidebar: buyer side / seller side

The same show plays out both ways — sourcing, or being the exhibitor who gets chosen.

Angle	What the show changes for you	Reflex
Buyer (importer)	Compare and qualify quickly, without drowning	Set specifications and a qualification grid before
Seller (exhibiting exporter)	Stand out and shorten the decision cycle	Display COA, certifications, samples and quotation ready
Exporter (Tunisia operations)	Make the stand profitable (FOPRODEX show support possible)	Prepare an evidence kit and a structured follow-up plan

How to exhibit and get chosen (seller/exporter side)

Are you exhibiting to be selected? Anticipate the buyer's questions on the stand:

Display without being asked: ONH export accreditation, recent COA from an IOC-accredited lab, certifications (organic Ecocert, IFS/BRC depending on the channel).
Offer sealed and dated samples to take away, not just a tasting.
Have a standard quotation ready (FOB Radès, MOQ, packaging): the buyer leaves with a figure, not a promise.
Qualify the visitor in 2 minutes (market, volume, channel) to focus your time on the real buyers.
A Tunisian stand may benefit from FOPRODEX support for trade-show participation — anticipate the file.

Structuring a stand and an evidence kit is part of the quality & certifications and white label support.

Prepare your visit: specifications above all

Direct answer: you cannot source effectively without knowing what you are looking for. Set, before leaving: the category (extra virgin, virgin, organic), the annual volume, the packaging (flexitank, IBC, drums), the target incoterm, the resale market and the certifications imposed by your channel. These specifications become your filter on site.

Quantified objective: "find 3 organic extra-virgin exporters, MOQ 1 flexitank, for the German retail market (IFS required)".
Appointments made in advance: spot the exhibitors on the show plan, write ahead to block slots — the best stands are booked.
Visit kit: printed specifications, blank qualification grid, bags for samples, digitised contact badges.
Price benchmark in mind: Tunisian bulk gravitates around 3.80 €/kg FOB for extra virgin; a quotation well below should alert you.

Prospect and qualify on site

On the stand, your time is limited. Use an identical qualification grid for each exporter, in order to compare objectively afterwards.

Identity & accreditation: registered company, customs code, ONH export accreditation?
Category & COA: can I leave with a recent COA for a batch, from an IOC-accredited lab?
Certifications: organic Ecocert, IFS/BRC, HACCP — verifiable numbers?
Sample: can I take away a sealed and dated sample?
Quotation: precise incoterm and port (FOB Radès), MOQ, packaging, tolerances?
Capacity & campaign: available volume, regularity over the current campaign?
Payment: openness to a 30% deposit + balance against documents / confirmed LC?

Tasting is useful but proves nothing legally: a flattering tasting never replaces a COA per batch. Require the certificate of analysis, not just the pleasure in the mouth.

Qualification grid to fill in on the stand

Rate each exporter to decide coolly, after the show.

Supplier: _______________ — Stand no. _____

ONH export accreditation confirmed
Recent COA provided (IOC-accredited lab)
Category and acidity consistent with the announcement
Sealed and dated sample taken away
Certifications useful for the channel (organic / IFS/BRC) — no. noted
Written quotation: incoterm + port + MOQ + packaging
Openness to secured payment (deposit + balance / LC)
Credible capacity and regularity
Responsive and clear contact

Generate your document checklist tailored to your destination: document checklist.

Post-show follow-up: where contracts are won

A trade show pays off afterwards. Most buyers never follow up — that is where you take the advantage.

D+2: send a personalised follow-up email to each selected supplier, recalling the conversation, and request the formal quotation + the COA if not provided.
D+7: compare the quotations brought back at an identical landed price (same category, same incoterm), then request a confirmation sample from the shortlisted batch.
D+15: launch full due diligence on the 1-2 finalists (see the choosing a supplier guide) before any order.

Generate clean quotation and file before committing to the first order: see the first order guide.

Mistakes to avoid at a trade show

Going without an objective: without specifications, you collect cards you don't call back.
Confusing tasting and proof: a good taste on the stand does not replace a COA per batch.
Not taking away a sealed sample: without a dated sample, no basis for comparison on arrival.
Neglecting follow-up: the value of a show is realised on D+2/D+7, not on the stand.
Comparing non-homogeneous quotations: different incoterms or categories = distorted decision.
Forgetting the channel's certifications: sourcing without IFS/BRC when retail requires it = unsellable product.
Letting yourself be rushed: "offer valid this show only" without justification is a signal, not an argument.

Golden rules of trade-show sourcing

Specifications first: category, volume, incoterm, market, certifications.
Appointments made in advance with the targeted exhibitors.
COA + sealed sample, never a tasting alone.
Identical qualification grid to compare objectively.
Structured follow-up D+2 / D+7 / D+15 — that is where contracts are won.
Full due diligence before any firm order.

Document checklist » for the file, then quality classifier » to validate a COA brought back from the show.

FAQ — Sourcing your olive oil at trade shows

What are the reference trade shows for sourcing olive oil?

The generalists SIAL (Paris, even years) and Anuga (Cologne, odd years) for Europe and retail; Gulfood (Dubai, February) for the Gulf and MENA; WOOE (Madrid) for very technical 100% olive oil sourcing; Fancy Food for North American premium retail. Choose according to your market and your channel.

How do you prepare a trade show to source effectively?

Set quantified specifications (category, annual volume, packaging, incoterm, market, certifications) before leaving, make appointments in advance with the targeted exhibitors, and prepare an identical qualification grid for all. Without an objective, a show produces business cards, not suppliers.

Is a tasting on the stand enough to judge an oil?

No. A flattering tasting is a first sensory filter, but it has no contractual value. Always require a COA per batch from an IOC-accredited laboratory (acidity, peroxide, K232/K270, sometimes polyphenols) and a sealed sample to take away. Taste does not prove the category.

What should you bring back from a show for each supplier?

At a minimum: a recent COA (IOC-accredited lab), a sealed and dated sample, a written quotation (incoterm, port, MOQ, packaging), the verifiable certification numbers (organic, IFS/BRC), and proof of ONH export accreditation. Note everything on a qualification grid to compare coolly.

How do you qualify an exporter in a few minutes on a stand?

Go through the seven-point grid: identity and ONH accreditation, available COA, certifications useful for the channel, sample to take away, quotation with incoterm and MOQ, capacity and regularity, openness to secured payment. A serious exporter answers without reluctance and provides written evidence.

How do you ensure follow-up after a show?

Follow up on D+2 with a personalised email requesting the formal quotation and the COA; on D+7, compare the quotations brought back at an identical landed price and request a confirmation sample; on D+15, conduct full due diligence on the finalists before any order. The value of a show is realised afterwards, not on the stand.

How do you compare quotations brought back from several stands?

Bring each offer back to a comparable landed price: same category, same incoterm, same volume, same packaging. A "cheaper" oil in EXW may cost more landed than the same in FOB. Never compare two prices displayed under different conditions.

What price benchmark should you have in mind before a show?

Tunisian bulk gravitates around 3.80 €/kg FOB for extra virgin, against 4.1–4.5 in Spain and 6.5–7.0 in Italy. A quotation clearly below the Tunisian benchmark should make you verify the real category and traceability.

Should you favour a specialised or a generalist show?

A specialised show (WOOE) already sorts the exhibitors and concentrates olive oil expertise; a generalist show (SIAL, Anuga) offers more volume but requires more qualification. The specialised one saves time if your need is technical; the generalist one opens broader if you are exploring.

Can a Tunisian exporter finance their participation in a show?

A Tunisian exporter may, depending on the schemes, benefit from FOPRODEX support for trade-show participation, as well as other prospecting support. The file is prepared upstream: anticipate the deadlines and the documents requested.

How do you spot an exhibitor to avoid at a show?

Beware of a stand that refuses to provide a COA, does not offer a sample to take away, remains vague about its accreditation, displays a price well below the market benchmark without explanation, or requires 100% advance payment. These signals justify enhanced verification before any follow-up.

What can you do at a show if my travel budget is limited?

Prioritise one show aligned with your target market, prepare as many appointments as possible in advance to make each hour profitable, and focus the follow-up on 3-5 qualified suppliers rather than spreading your follow-ups. A well-prepared show is worth more than three skimmed over.

Leave the show with suppliers, not cards

You know how to choose your show, prepare your specifications, qualify the exporters on site and ensure the follow-up that turns a contact into a supplier. The next step: validate a COA and secure your file.

Document checklist » then quality classifier ».

Request a free quote — a dated quotation, standard COA and reference sample from an accredited exporter, for your market. Drawer pre-filled "Trade shows & sourcing guide".

Free PDF checklist (lead magnet): receive by email the "Sourcing at an olive oil trade show" checklist — preparation, questions to ask, qualification grid and D+2/D+7 follow-up plan, ready to tick. Simple sign-up (Brevo double opt-in), no spam. Receive the PDF checklist »

To go further, read the guide to choosing a reliable supplier, the first order guide, the incoterms guide and the quality & certifications page.

Data July 2026, indicative and to be re-verified before any commitment. Sources: official trade-show calendars (SIAL, Anuga, Gulfood, WOOE), IOC/T.15/NC trade standard (categories/COA), ONH export accreditation (Tunisia), FOPRODEX support schemes.