Halal Industry Event

Halal Expo Europe 2026 organizer logo

Halal Expo Europe 2026

Dates
Dates to be confirmed
Venue
Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre
Location
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Sectors
Events & Shows, Business Development +1

About This Event

Halal Expo Europe (HEE) is a Netherlands-based B2B trade fair for the European halal industry, positioned as an entry point for halal producers to reach Europe's ~50 million Muslim consumer market. Past editions in 2015, 2016 and 2017 were held at Beursgebouw Eindhoven and covered halal food, cosmetics, lifestyle, tourism, pharmaceuticals and finance, combining over 100 exhibitors with seminars, panel discussions and pre-arranged B2B matchmaking. Organizer publications cite an estimated $70 billion European halal industry and visitor attendance from 20+ countries. Note: the organizer's website is currently unmaintained (latest news March 2017, ticketing link points to a 2017 Eventbrite page) — the 2026-10-08 Rotterdam Ahoy edition listed in the calendar should be reconfirmed with the organizer before publishing.

Who Should Attend

Halal food producers and exportersHalal cosmetics and personal-care manufacturersHalal pharmaceuticals firmsIslamic / halal finance providersHalal tourism and hospitality operatorsHalal lifestyle and modest-fashion brandsImporters and distributorsHalal certification bodiesGovernment trade agencies and pavilionsIndustry media and researchers

Why This Market Matters

European Muslim consumer population
50+ million
Estimated European halal industry value
~$70 billion
Global Muslim consumer halal spend
€1.6 trillion

Projected to reach €2.3 trillion by 2020 per organizer-cited figure

Global halal food industry value
$600 billion

~15% of total global food trading volume

Islamic finance industry value
$1 trillion

Cited 20% annual growth rate

Halal cosmetics industry value
$13 billion

~4% of global cosmetics

Halal pharmaceuticals market value
$34 billion

Organizer-cited 27% share of global halal market

Projected Muslim tourist global spending
$192 billion by 2020

From the Same Organiser

Event Highlights

  • Three editions held to date (2015, 2016, 2017) at Beursgebouw Eindhoven
  • Past-edition stats per organizer: 110 exhibitors, 30 countries, 40 sponsors, ~2,500 visitors
  • Pre-arranged B2B matchmaking between visitors and preselected exhibitors
  • Seminar programme spanning halal food, finance, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, tourism and lifestyle

Why Attend & Exhibit

Why Attend

  • 1

    Connect with halal industry entrepreneurs

    Meet exhibitors operating across the global halal industry under one roof.

  • 2

    The Netherlands as a test market

    Organizer positions the Netherlands as an important European test market with a high density of food producers.

  • 3

    Pre-arranged matchmaking meetings

    Pre-arranged B2B matchmaking sessions with preselected entrepreneurs from across multiple markets.

  • 4

    Stay current on developments and trends

    Lectures, panel discussions and seminars covering market trends, strategic developments and regulatory updates.

  • 5

    Knowledge exchange with practitioners

    Sessions designed for stakeholders involved in halal food and non-food: governments, certifiers, producers, traders, researchers and trade bodies.

Why Exhibit

  • 1

    Increase organizational visibility

    Raise awareness of your brand inside the European halal channel.

  • 2

    Strengthen brand identity

    Differentiate your organization against competitors operating in the same halal vertical.

  • 3

    International promotion, online and offline

    Reach European and international buyers through pre-event, on-site and post-event channels.

  • 4

    Direct access to potential customers and partners

    Meet a concentrated audience of importers, distributors and trade buyers active in the European halal market.

Programme Highlights

Industry seminars and conferences

Programme of seminars and conferences covering market trends, strategic developments, regulatory changes, consumption shifts and international networks. Open to ticket-holders.

B2B matchmaking

Pre-arranged B2B meetings with preselected entrepreneurs from multiple countries; included for both visitors and exhibitors.

Featured Speakers & Hosts

Mr. Murk Muller →

Lawyer

Halal — the legal implications in trade (workshop, 2017 edition)

Mr. Said Elamraoui →

CEO, Hadj Info

The growth of halal tourism — Europe / Benelux & MENA region (seminar, 2017 edition)

Mr. Mauritius Wijffels →

Lawyer, Middle East Legal and Business Advice

Relation and contracts between the Halal economy and CSR economy (2017 edition)

Mr. Muhammad Ashfaq →

CEO, Amanah Halal Research Centre

Global Halal Industry: Opportunities & Challenges (workshop, 2017 edition)

Phd. Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh →

CEO, International Institute for Research and Development of Special Interest Tourism

Theory of Special Interest Tourism — Halal Tourism (conference, 2017 edition)

Confirmed Exhibitors

16 companies listed for Halal Expo Europe 2026

See all exhibitors →
Amana
Atradius
DHL
Durum Company
Hadj Info
Halal Advisor
Halal Polska
Heuschen & Schrouff
HQC
MATRADE
Mekka Food
Mr Falafel

Booth Packages

Secure your exhibition space. Compare booth options, pricing, and inclusions below.

Contact the Organizer Directly

Booth package details are not yet listed for this event. Reach out to the organizer for exhibition options and pricing.

Visit Organizer Website

Past Editions: By the Numbers

Results from previous editions, the proof of what exhibitors and visitors can expect. Figures are organiser-reported.

2017 Edition

30 April – 1 May 2017

Beursgebouw Eindhoven, Netherlands

110
Exhibitors
30
Countries

Third edition. Two-day programme with seminars, workshops and B2B matchmaking. Organizer-stated stats over the 2015–2017 history: 110 exhibitors, 30 countries represented, 40 sponsors, ~2,500 visitors across editions. Sectors: food, cosmetics, lifestyle, tourism, pharmaceuticals, finance.

2016 Edition

Beursgebouw Eindhoven, Netherlands

Second edition. Photo gallery published on organizer site.

2015 Edition

Beursgebouw Eindhoven, Netherlands

Inaugural edition. Photo gallery published on organizer site.

Endorsements & Partners

Sponsors (3)

  • Durum Company· Sponsor (2017 edition)
  • Heuschen & Schrouff· Sponsor (2017 edition)
  • OBA Food· Sponsor (2017 edition)

Where it's held

Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Get directions →Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Rotterdam skyline

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Halal Rotterdam

Rotterdam is the Netherlands' second city and the largest port in Europe — a modern, multicultural city of bold architecture rebuilt after WWII, and the host of Western Europe's growing halal trade shows at Rotterdam Ahoy, the big convention and arena complex in the south of the city. It is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the country: large Turkish, Moroccan and Surinamese communities mean halal food, butchers and mosques are easy to find, and the Netherlands' biggest mosque (the Essalam Mosque) sits in Rotterdam-Zuid. Like the rest of the Netherlands, it is a secular, non-Muslim-majority country — so you choose halal-certified or Muslim-owned places rather than assuming, and alcohol is served everywhere — but doing so is straightforward here. Getting around is quick and cheap: a fast intercity train links Amsterdam Schiphol airport to Rotterdam Centraal in well under an hour, and the city's RET metro runs straight to the Ahoy halls.

Currency EURCentral European Time (CET), UTC+1 — clocks move to CEST (UTC+2) for summer daylight saving, roughly late March to late October.

Mosques and sights

Halal places to visit in Rotterdam

Mosques and Islamic-heritage landmarks worth your time around the expo.

Essalam Mosque

Essalam Mosque

Feijenoord

The largest mosque in the Netherlands, with a 25m dome and 50m minarets welcoming visitors.

Mevlana Mosque

Mevlana Mosque

Overschie

Striking Turkish-Dutch mosque with 42m minarets, voted Rotterdam's most attractive building in 2006.

Markthal Rotterdam

Markthal Rotterdam

Blaak

Covered market with several halal food stalls and a halal butcher in the city centre.

Kruiskade Street

Kruiskade Street

City Centre

Lively street lined with Turkish and Surinamese halal eateries and shops.

Ayasofya Mosque

Ayasofya Mosque

Rotterdam

Community mosque serving Rotterdam's Turkish-Dutch Muslims with daily prayers.

Halal food

Where to eat halal in Rotterdam

Well-loved halal restaurants across Rotterdam, from cheap local favourites to special-occasion dining.

Meram

Meram

Turkish$$

City Centre

Certified halal Turkish chain known for adana kebabs, lamb chops and lahmacun.

Zainab Roshni Mahal

Zainab Roshni Mahal

Indian / Pakistani$$

Rotterdam West

Large halal restaurant serving authentic Indian and Pakistani curries and grills.

Gate of India

Gate of India

Indian$$

City Centre

Popular halal Indian spot with tandoori and curry dishes.

Markthal Food Stalls

Markthal Food Stalls

Mixed Middle Eastern$

Blaak / City Centre

Covered market with several halal Moroccan, Turkish and Middle Eastern stalls.

Restaurant Tagine

Restaurant Tagine

Moroccan$$$

Rotterdam West

Sit-down Moroccan dining with tagines and couscous in a relaxed setting.

Hotels

Where to stay in Rotterdam

Picks for every budget.

Luxury

nhow Rotterdam

nhow Rotterdam

Kop van Zuid

Design hotel in the Rem Koolhaas De Rotterdam tower with skyline river views.

Hotel New York

Hotel New York

Kop van Zuid

Landmark hotel in the former Holland America Line headquarters by the water.

Mid-range

Marriott Hotel Rotterdam

Marriott Hotel Rotterdam

City Centre

Central high-rise hotel next to Rotterdam Central Station.

citizenM Rotterdam

citizenM Rotterdam

City Centre

Modern compact-room hotel near the central station and shopping.

Budget

Holiday Inn Express Rotterdam Central Station

Holiday Inn Express Rotterdam Central Station

City Centre

Clean, affordable rooms a short walk from the central station.

The Usual Rotterdam

The Usual Rotterdam

City Centre

Budget-friendly hostel-hotel hybrid in the city centre.

Holiday Inn Eindhoven

Queen Hotel Café Restaurant

Best Western Premier Art Hotel Eindhoven

Know before you go

The essentials

Everything a Muslim traveller needs to land in Rotterdam with confidence.

Getting in

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)

• NS Intercity train, 26-45 min to Rotterdam Centraal

• Taxi / Uber / Bolt, 50-70 min depending on traffic

Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM)

• RET bus 33, about 25 min to Rotterdam Centraal

• Taxi / Uber / Bolt, about 15 min

Getting around

Rotterdam is compact, flat and very walkable in the centre, and the public transport (run by RET) is excellent: a metro network (lines A-E), trams, buses and a water taxi across the river Maas. Metro lines D and E run to Zuidplein, a five-minute walk from the Rotterdam Ahoy halls, so getting from the centre or Rotterdam Centraal to the expo is a single easy ride. The intercity rail network also makes day trips to Amsterdam, The Hague and Delft quick.

Past editions used Beursgebouw Eindhoven, which sits next to Eindhoven Centraal railway station and bus terminus. Under the Beursgebouw is the de Bijenkorf department store underground car park (capacity ~540 spaces) and an additional ~2,400 signposted city parking spaces nearby. Note: 2026 edition venue/transport details should be confirmed once organizer publishes them — the current organizer site has not been updated post-2017.

Licensed taxis wait at ranks at Rotterdam Centraal and the airports, or use Uber/Bolt for an upfront price. For short hops in the flat centre, the city is built for bikes — but be careful as a pedestrian: the red-asphalt lanes are for cyclists only, traffic moves fast, and stepping into one can earn a fine.

Visa & entry

The Netherlands is in the Schengen Area. Many nationalities can visit for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa; others must apply for a Schengen short-stay visa in advance via the Dutch authorities (the official Netherlands Worldwide / consulate channels). The EU's new ETIAS travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors is still being phased in and is not yet required — but check the official EU ETIAS page before you travel in case it has come into force for your nationality and dates. Carry proof of your event registration and accommodation.

Money

Euro · EUR

The Netherlands is heavily cashless — contactless card and phone payment is accepted almost everywhere, including transit. Note that some Dutch shops and markets take only Maestro/Mastercard debit and may decline Visa or Amex, so carry a contactless Mastercard to be safe.

Service is included, so tipping is optional — rounding up the bill or leaving around 5-10% for good service in a restaurant is appreciated but never required.

Connectivity

KPN, Vodafone, Odido and Lebara prepaid SIMs from airport and city shops; EU 'roam-like-at-home' means a SIM from any EU country also works at no surcharge

Plug: Type C / F (two round pins, European) · 230V / 50Hz

Emergency

General: 112 (Europe-wide emergency, English-speaking)

Fire: 112

Safety

Rotterdam is a safe major city. The main everyday risk is pickpocketing in crowds — on the metro, at markets and around the station — so keep your phone and wallet secure. Take real care with the cycle lanes: the red-asphalt paths are for bikes only, cyclists move fast, and walking or standing in them is both dangerous and finable. Lock bikes well if you hire one, as bike theft is common.

Where to pray

Essalam Mosque (Essalam Moskee): The largest mosque in the Netherlands, with tall minarets and a capacity of around 1,500 — a major Friday congregation in the south of the city, with separate halls for men and women and parking. Check the exact jummah time locally as it shifts with the season.

Neighbourhood mosques & prayer rooms: Rotterdam's Turkish and Moroccan communities run numerous mosques and prayer rooms across the southern and western districts, so a place to pray is rarely far in the diverse parts of the city.

Airport multi-faith rooms: Schiphol — the main arrival airport — has quiet multi-faith meditation and prayer rooms in the terminals for travellers between flights.

Getting here

Travelling from a major halal market?

Most halal-expo buyers and exhibitors fly in from the world's main halal hubs. Here's how to reach Rotterdam from each. Entry rules vary by nationality, so check the Visa & entry note.

London (LHR)

United Kingdom

Istanbul (IST)

Türkiye

Cairo (CAI)

Egypt

Kuala Lumpur (KUL)

Malaysia

Jakarta (CGK)

Indonesia

Dubai (DXB)

United Arab Emirates

See the full Rotterdam travel guide →

Sources: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/etias · https://www.ret.nl/en/home/travel-products/ovpay.html · https://www.ns.nl/en · https://www.politie.nl/en/contact

About the Organiser

Organising Entity

Halal Expo Europe

HQ: NL

Visit official website →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Halal Expo Europe 2026?
Halal Expo Europe (HEE) is a Netherlands-based B2B trade fair for the European halal industry, positioned as an entry point for halal producers to reach Europe's ~50 million Muslim consumer market. Past editions in 2015, 2016 and 2017 were held at Beursgebouw Eindhoven and covered halal food, cosmetics, lifestyle, tourism, pharmaceuticals and finance, combining over 100 exhibitors with seminars, panel discussions and pre-arranged B2B matchmaking. Organizer publications cite an estimated $70 billion European halal industry and visitor attendance from 20+ countries. Note: the organizer's website is currently unmaintained (latest news March 2017, ticketing link points to a 2017 Eventbrite page) — the 2026-10-08 Rotterdam Ahoy edition listed in the calendar should be reconfirmed with the organizer before publishing.
When is Halal Expo Europe 2026?
The dates for Halal Expo Europe 2026 have not been announced yet. Dates TBA.
Where is Halal Expo Europe 2026 held?
Halal Expo Europe 2026 is held at Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Who organises Halal Expo Europe 2026?
Halal Expo Europe 2026 is organised by Halal Expo Europe.
What industries does Halal Expo Europe 2026 cover?
Halal Expo Europe 2026 covers Events & Shows, Business Development, Certification & Standards.
Who should attend Halal Expo Europe 2026?
Halal Expo Europe 2026 is most relevant to Halal food producers and exporters, Halal cosmetics and personal-care manufacturers, Halal pharmaceuticals firms, Islamic / halal finance providers, Halal tourism and hospitality operators, Halal lifestyle and modest-fashion brands, Importers and distributors, Halal certification bodies, Government trade agencies and pavilions and Industry media and researchers.
How many exhibitors attend Halal Expo Europe 2026?
16+ confirmed exhibitors.
How do I exhibit at Halal Expo Europe 2026?
Apply for a booth via the official exhibitor page: https://www.halalexpoeurope.com/. Available booth sizes: contact organiser for details.

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