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Trade Fair and Congress Catering in Spain

At a trade fair the catering competes with the clock: people eat when they can, in twenty minutes and without sitting down. A congress is similar, with hundreds of people leaving the same room at once. Both are solved with fast formats and a lot of logistics planning.

Below are the companies in the directory that work fairs, congresses and professional events across Spain. You will find the usual formats, what they cost per person, the rules that exhibition centres impose and the questions to ask before you sign anything. Most caterers will also come to your stand, not just to the event hall.

41 catering companies · 3 cities

Trade fair catering stand with a buffet of sandwiches, salads and fruit, high tables and the exhibition hall blurred

Trade Fairs by city

Madrid (5) Barcelona (4) Valencia (5)
Eventos Argentinos

Eventos Argentinos

Valencia

5.0 (9 reviews)

Catering company specialising in weddings, private chef, corporate, birthdays, hen & stag, home catering, trade fairs, parties, openings and paella & bbq, based in Valencia.

Weddings Private Chef Corporate +7
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Catering La Lloca

Catering La Lloca

Torrelles de Llobregat, Barcelona

4.8 (155 reviews)

Catering company specialising in weddings, corporate, home catering, trade fairs, parties, openings and paella & bbq, based in Torrelles de Llobregat.

Weddings Corporate Home Catering +4
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Chef In House

Chef In House

Majadahonda, Madrid

5.0 (3 reviews)

Catering company specialising in weddings, gala dinners, private chef, corporate, home catering, trade fairs and wedding planner, based in Majadahonda.

Weddings Gala Dinners Private Chef +4
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Catering Lucia y Joaquin

Catering Lucia y Joaquin

Madrid

4.6 (85 reviews)

Catering company specialising in weddings, gala dinners, cocktail, coffee breaks, corporate, ham carver, birthdays, hen & stag, home catering, trade fairs, openings and paella & bbq, based in Madrid.

Weddings Gala Dinners Cocktail +9
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López Garabaya

López Garabaya

Campillo de Salvatierra, Salamanca

4.6 (37 reviews)

Catering company specialising in ham carver and trade fairs, based in Campillo de Salvatierra.

Ham Carver Trade Fairs
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CBE Catering

CBE Catering

Madrid

4.6 (36 reviews)

Catering company specialising in cocktail, corporate, parties, brunch, gala dinners, coffee breaks, home catering and trade fairs, based in Madrid.

Cocktail Corporate Parties +5
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Ibiza P. Services

Ibiza P. Services

Ibiza, Islas Baleares

4.6 (10 reviews)

Catering company specialising in open bar, brunch, private chef, cocktail, corporate, hen & stag, home catering, trade fairs, parties and paella & bbq, based in Ibiza.

Open Bar Brunch Private Chef +7
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Acadi Catering

Acadi Catering

Madrid

4.5 (30 reviews)

Catering company specialising in weddings, cocktail, coffee breaks, corporate, hen & stag, home catering, school and trade fairs, based in Madrid.

Weddings Cocktail Coffee Breaks +5
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Catering Igeretxe

Areeta / Las Arenas, Vizcaya

4.3 (3 reviews)

Catering company specialising in weddings, brunch, gala dinners, cocktail, corporate, home catering and trade fairs, based in Areeta / Las Arenas.

Weddings Brunch Gala Dinners +4
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Jucais

Jucais

L'Alcúdia, Valencia

4.4 (73 reviews)

Catering company specialising in weddings, coffee breaks, corporate, birthdays, home catering, school, trade fairs and industrial, based in L'Alcúdia.

Weddings Coffee Breaks Corporate +5
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Oliveira's Catering

Oliveira's Catering

Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, Barcelona

4.3 (31 reviews)

Catering company specialising in open bar, cocktail, corporate, home catering, trade fairs, parties and paella & bbq, based in Santa Perpètua de Mogoda.

Open Bar Cocktail Corporate +4
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Formats that work at a trade fair

At a fair, the catering has to be ready before the doors open and cleared before the next talk starts. These are the formats that caterers in the directory handle most often:

  • Coffee break during the pause: coffee, tea, juices, pastries and fruit, set up and removed quickly. For a congress, two breaks a day is the usual rhythm.
  • Standing lunch or cocktail: one-bite food, no cutlery, so nobody has to look for a table. It works for the midday break and for the closing reception.
  • Stand catering: a restocked fridge, coffee all day and trays coming out for visitors, with someone attending if the stand is large.
  • Closing dinner, usually a buffet or plated menu and normally outside the venue.

Multi-day congresses tend to book the whole package (two breaks a day plus lunch) and keep the last day's lunch lighter, because people leave early. For a fair, the same caterer often supplies the stand during opening hours and a separate buffet for exhibitors after closing.

Stacked cardboard boxes with salads and wraps on a counter at a conference venue

What catering for a fair costs

Prices are quoted per person and per format. These are the usual bands in Spain:

FormatPrice per person
Coffee break€8 – €20
Standing cocktail€25 – €50
Buffet€30 – €60

Most companies have a minimum order of €300 – €600, so for very small stands the per-person price may be higher. Staff, equipment hire and, inside an exhibition centre, the venue's own fees and utilities go on top. Quotes are normally presented without VAT: catering is taxed at 10 % and hired equipment at 21 %.

The exhibition centre's rules

An exhibition centre is not an event hall: it has loading windows, accreditation, food safety rules and sometimes an exclusive caterer. Before booking anything, check:

  • Whether the venue allows outside catering or has an exclusive supplier.
  • Build-up hours and vehicle access times, often in the small hours.
  • What services your stand has (water, power, refrigeration) and what must be hired.
  • Where you may store food and where cooking is forbidden.
  • Waste removal and the dismantling deadline.

Four to eight weeks gives time to sort those permits out; large fairs close their deadlines earlier. If the venue has an exclusive supplier, ask that supplier for a quote too. Some centres allow an outside caterer only if they pay a fee or use the venue's kitchen.

Hands serving coffee and pastries at a congress networking break, with lanyards blurred behind

How to request a quote without surprises

When you ask a caterer for a quote for a fair or congress, give them the details that change the price:

  • The exact dates and opening hours of the fair, including build-up and dismantling days.
  • The number of people per service, not just the total for the day. A congress with 300 delegates but two coffee breaks and a lunch needs three separate counts.
  • Whether the food is for delegates only or also for exhibitors and stand staff.
  • The venue's rules, especially if an exclusive caterer is involved.
  • Whether you need waiting staff, a bar, furniture or a fridge in the stand.

Ask for a written quote that separates food, staff, equipment and transport. For a normal event, four to eight weeks' notice is enough; a simple coffee break can be booked two to three weeks ahead. If the fair is a large one, start earlier because the venue's own deadlines may be fixed months in advance.

Mistakes to avoid when booking fair catering

The most common problems at fairs and congresses are not about the food. They are about timing and access:

  • Booking a sit-down menu for a break that lasts 20 minutes. Nobody finishes it.
  • Forgetting that exhibitors eat at different times from visitors, so the stand needs food all day, not just at lunchtime.
  • Assuming the venue has water, power and fridges. Often you have to hire them.
  • Ignoring the exclusive-caterer rule and discovering it after signing with an outside company.
  • Serving food that needs cutlery or a plate in a space where people stand with a phone in one hand.

Ask the caterer how many times they can restock a stand during the day and what happens if a talk overruns. A good company will build in a buffer of extra portions without charging you for the full amount.

Frequently asked questions

How much does congress catering cost per person?

It depends on the format of each moment: a coffee break runs €8 to €20 per person, a standing cocktail €25 to €50 and a buffet €30 to €60. A full day with two breaks and lunch is worked out by adding those lines, plus staff and equipment. Most caterers also have a minimum order of €300 – €600.

Can I bring my own caterer to an exhibition centre?

Not always. Many venues have an exclusive supplier or require the company to be approved. Ask the venue first, before you even request quotes, because it decides who you can work with. If the centre allows outside catering, ask about the fee, the kitchen access and the times you can deliver.

What format works best on a stand?

One-bite food, no cutlery and no sauce, restocked several times a day, plus coffee and water always available. People eat standing with a phone in one hand: anything needing a plate and fork stays on the tray. For a stand, small portions that can be eaten in two bites work better than a buffet.

How much does catering for a trade fair for 100 people cost?

For 100 people, a coffee break costs €800 – €2,000, a standing cocktail €2,500 – €5,000 and a buffet €3,000 – €6,000. These are the usual totals without VAT. Staff, equipment and any venue fees are added on top.

How many coffee breaks can you book during a one-day congress?

A one-day congress usually has two coffee breaks, one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon, plus lunch. Some organisers add a third break if the afternoon session is long. The caterer can adapt the quantity: a light break with coffee and pastries, or a fuller one with juices, fruit and sandwiches.

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