The bar raised for both events
220 exhibitors at Artozyma, 378 at the Athens International Jewellery Show
TIF-HELEXPO makes a dynamic entry into the new year with the 12th Artozyma, which is organized from 28 February to 2 March at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition & Congress Center, and the 38th Athens International Jewellery Show, which will take place at Metropolitan Expo from 27 February to 2 March.
The 12th International Exhibition of Bakery and Pastry, Machinery, Equipment, Products “Artozyma” raises the bar this year both qualitatively and quantitatively, constituting the most important professional meeting of the bakery and pastry sector in Southeastern Europe for 2026. The 38th Athens International Jewellery Show is the largest sectoral event in the country for jewellery, watches and precious stones, a stable point of reference for the market of Southeastern Europe.
More specifically, Artozyma records a 20% increase in exhibition space, while it counts 220 exhibitors, a size increased by 14% compared to 2024, who come from 21 countries compared to 19 of the previous event. This year’s exhibition has secured participations of major raw materials companies, as well as the entirety of the bakery and pastry bodies, while after the success of the previous event many exhibitors participate with larger exhibition stands.
At the same time, Artozyma is accompanied by a rich programme of events, full of innovation and creativity and with a strong international character, which includes the participation of distinguished professionals of the sector from abroad.
Specifically, this year’s exhibition is framed by three central axes of events, which cover the spectrum of bakery, pastry and specialized nutrition (Gluten Free). The first axis is Baking Together – Mediterranean Edition: It is a three day event dedicated to the art of Mediterranean bakery. At the core of this event lies the cooperation of four countries (Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal). For the first time, national bakery teams
from these countries meet in a non-competitive framework with a common goal of cooperation, the promotion of knowledge and the highlighting of bakery as an art and profession with an international character, while leading professionals also participate, members of the international network Richemont Club.
The second axis revolves around Pastry Lab 2026, a specially configured space in Pavilion 15, dedicated to high pastry, with masterclasses and seminars for professionals and students. This year the programme of Pastry Lab is richer, it has secured international participation, of the Portuguese pastry chef Américo Dos Santos, from the award-winning 2 Michelin star restaurant Belcanto, while it also has the support of more bodies. Pastry Lab is held in cooperation with the Greek Master Pastry Chefs Club.
The third axis is Gluten Free bakery products. It is a specialized event that focuses on dietary trends and on the needs of people with gluten intolerance. This specific field creates new data for bakers, pastry chefs and HORECA professionals who are called to respond to the increasing international and domestic demand for such types of products.
Also, within the framework of Artozyma, The Expert Lab will be organized by the Panhellenic Association of Food Technologists, which includes a scientific conference with the subject: “Innovation and Challenges in Bakery and Pastry and Food Technology”, as well as 5 workshops that concern food technology. This year’s exhibition also hosts the competition Southern Europe Culinary Challenge 2026, an organization of the Chefs’ Association of Greece with 300 participations from 15 countries and established judges from 10 countries.
The opening of Artozyma will take place on Saturday 28 February at 18:30 by the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food of Greece, Mr. Christos Kellas.
As regards the 38th Athens International Jewellery Show, the quantitative data clearly reflect the dynamics of the sector. The exhibition is developed in Hall 1 of Metropolitan Expo, covering a total of 11,500 square meters, while it has attracted 378 exhibitors, among whom are included the largest companies of the sector. Its footprint is strongly international, with exhibitors coming from 11 countries including Italy, France, India and Turkey.
The Athens International Jewellery Show aims once again strategically at innovation and extroversion. Regarding innovation, the Design Section returns for the 5th consecutive year with increased participation of Greek designers, highlighting new trends and contemporary creation. For extroversion, it implements a targeted Hosted
Buyers programme, with trade visitors from strategic markets that are high in the priorities of the exhibitors as target-markets, such as Estonia, Serbia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Lithuania. The opening of the 38th Athens International Jewellery Show will take place on Friday 27 February at 18:00 by the Deputy Minister of Development, Mr. Stavros Kalafatis.
The Press Conference
The exhibition programme of 2026 was opened within the framework of today’s press conference by the CEO of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr. Andreas Mavrommatis, presenting the quantitative and qualitative figures of Artozyma and Athens International Jewellery Show. He emphasized that as a man of exhibitions he knows the added value that an exhibition creates in the place where it is organized, while he noted that the new administration will work both for the further strengthening of the exhibition body and the enrichment of its events as well as for the upgrading of its exhibition infrastructure.
“Artozyma is our strength, our image, the proof that the bakery has present and future” stated the President of the Federation of Greek Bakers, Mrs. Elsa Koukoumeria, noting that it is not just another exhibition for bakers, but a space where the Greek baker meets the future of his profession.
From his side, the President of the Guild of Pastry Shop Owners of Thessaloniki, Mr. Antonis Vangelis, spoke of an institution that must exist in the city, as it helps the pastry chef, and indeed a pastry chef who has evolved significantly. “Young pastry chefs are dynamic, modern, educated” he noted, while he made known that during Artozyma the Guild will present a historical album about the connection of Thessaloniki with sweets.
Positive are the messages of visitor attendance for the 38th Athens International Jewellery Show, although the sector is afflicted by various problems, such as the luxury tax and the increase in the prices of precious metals, as stated by the President of the Panhellenic Federation of Craftsmen, Silversmiths, Jewellers and Watch Retailers (POVAKO), Mr. Petros Kalpakidis.
In turn, the Vice President of the European Confederation of Bakers and Confectioners and President of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Crafts (VETH), Mr. Marios Papadopoulos, noted that the visit to the two exhibitions can inspire young people to follow the technical profession in the field of bakery, pastry and goldsmithing.
The trust of the nationwide bodies of the sectors represented in Artozyma and Athens International Jewellery Show is underlined by the collaborations of TIF-HELEXPO with the participating Federations (POVAKO and the Federation of Greek Bakers), as underlined by the General Director of the company, Mr. Alexis Tsaxirlis.
The collaborator of Artozyma for Baking Together – Mediterranean Edition, Mrs. Parthena Pastrafidou, referred to the common memory of the countries of the Mediterranean regarding the traditional oven, as well as to the effort of the event to attribute the value that bread has in the Mediterranean diet.
From his side, the Vice President of the Chefs’ Association of Greece, Mr. Christos Gotsis, referring to Southern Europe Culinary Challenge 2026, stressed that it is very important that professionals of the sector choose Thessaloniki and Artozyma to compete.
The opening hours of Artozyma are Saturday and Sunday: 10:00-19:00, Monday: 10:00-18:00. Entrance is free only to professionals upon registration.
The opening hours of the Athens International Jewellery Show are Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 10.00-20.00 and Monday: 10.00-19.00. It is addressed exclusively to trade visitors.
