Top 5 Refrigeration Exhibitions in China: Trends, Dates & 2027 Schedules
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Refrigeration technology sits at the heart of multiple industrial sectors—cold chain logistics, HVAC, commercial retail, and hospitality. In China, five major exhibitions define the landscape: CR Expo, HOTELEX Shanghai, CHINASHOP, ICE CREAM CHINA, and Canton Fair. Together, they cover the full spectrum of the refrigeration industry, from technical depth and application scenarios to channel execution, niche specialisation, and global trade.
1. CR Expo
CR Expo—officially known as the International Exhibition on Refrigeration, Air-Conditioning, Heating, Ventilation and Frozen Food Processing—takes place in a different major city each year. In 2026, it was held in Beijing from 8 to 10 April. The exhibition covers the entire refrigeration value chain and is widely regarded as the premier technical event in the global HVACR sector. An industry saying goes: "If you miss CR Expo, you've missed at least six months of technological progress."
Exhibitors range from OEMs, components manufacturers and refrigerants suppliers to cold chain equipment providers and smart O&M system vendors, with foreign-owned firms accounting for over 20% of participation. Major Chinese players such as Gree, Midea and Haier appear alongside international brands. The audience consists primarily of engineering contractors, design institute chief engineers, cold chain logistics professionals and industrial procurement teams. The 2026 edition attracted 1,041 exhibitors from 30-plus countries, with overseas visitors making up around 20% of attendees and delegations from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe growing notably year on year.
CR Expo is one of the best-known names in the global HVACR community. It holds multiple international accreditations, including UFI and the US Department of Commerce, and has increasingly become a launchpad for new technologies and a meeting point for identifying industry trends.
Some interesting shifts are worth noting:
Digitisation and zero-carbon as the central theme. The 2026 theme was 'Digital Intelligence Shapes Heating & Cooling, Zero Carbon Opens a New Journey'. Gree unveiled high-temperature heat pumps capable of producing water and steam at 60–200°C, Haier showcased AI-powered zero-carbon commercial solutions, and Midea presented its 'full-chain service capability'—integrating equipment and maintenance into a single offering. Major players are now competing on system integration rather than individual equipment specs.
ROI-driven participation. Compared with the bustling 2025 Shanghai edition (which hosted 1,200 exhibitors), the 2026 Beijing edition appeared somewhat quieter. Rising logistics costs for southern exhibitors and a general tightening of exhibition budgets have pushed companies to prioritise tangible business outcomes over sheer exposure.
Growing international presence. Although domestic attendee numbers were perceived as subdued, the percentage of overseas professional visitors reached a record high.
2. HOTELEX Shanghai
HOTELEX Shanghai—the Shanghai International Hospitality and Foodservice Expo—is held annually at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. The 2026 edition ran from 30 March to 2 April, covering over 400,000 sqm. With 4,018 exhibitors, the show showcases a comprehensive offering from commercial refrigeration, kitchen equipment and coffee service gear to food ingredient suppliers.
Attendees include procurement directors and executive chefs from hotel and restaurant chains, brand managers and commercial property operators. The 2026 event drew 18,431 overseas buyers from 189 countries and regions, with the largest contingents coming from Southeast Asia, Europe, America, Japan and South Korea. Industry insiders often call HOTELEX the 'industry meet-up', thanks to its professional rigour and welcoming atmosphere. It is worth noting that while HOTELEX also runs editions in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu, none has yet matched the scale or reputation of the Shanghai’s.
The clear trends in recent editions include:
Soaring overseas attendance. International visitor numbers surged by 48.08% in 2026 compared with the previous year. Chinese catering equipment and cold chain technologies are gaining strong traction in international markets.
Refrigeration equipment goes beyond storage. Commercial fridges and freezers are evolving towards 'low-carbon + intelligent control + aesthetic design', with manufacturers making units more visually appealing, energy-efficient and quieter, and adding remote temperature monitoring.
Highly targeted professional attendance. The majority of visitors come with clear purchasing intentions, resulting in an impressive 96% conversion rate.
3. CHINASHOP
CHINASHOP, or the China Retail Expo, tours different cities each year. The 2026 edition was held in Hangzhou from 15 to 17 April. As Asia's largest retail exhibition, commercial refrigeration equipment is a core segment, covering supermarket freezers, convenience store cold rooms, cold chain logistics equipment and more. Nearly 900 exhibitors include service providers for retail giants as well as vendors of retail digital systems, shelving equipment and food items.
Attendees are primarily retail buyers, decision-makers and technical leads, with overseas visitors from over 60 countries—mostly retail buyers from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Whereas CR Expo attracts the engineering and technical crowd, CHINASHOP feels more like a 'museum of the retail future', offering a glimpse of how supermarkets and convenience stores can be transformed from top to bottom.
Key trends to watch:
AI shifts from 'assisting' to 'thinking'. At the 2025 Shenzhen edition, AI retail middleware, virtual shelves and AMR robots were already on show. By the 2026 Hangzhou edition, smart shopping trolleys, digital twin storefronts and dynamic discounting systems were in evidence. Retail stores are becoming intelligent agents with ever-greater autonomous decision-making capabilities.
"Experiential retail" has become mainstream. Spatial design, lighting and interactive elements of the booth all signal the sector's shift from simply 'selling goods' to 'selling experiences'.
4. ICE CREAM CHINA
ICE CREAM CHINA—the China Ice Cream and Frozen Food Industry Expo—is held annually at the Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center, typically in September. The 2026 edition is scheduled for 16–18th September. This exhibition has achieved global benchmark status in the frozen food niche, covering the entire supply chain from ice cream production equipment and frozen food processing machinery to cold storage, cold chain equipment and raw materials.
The 2025 edition covered 50,000 sqm and featured over 500 exhibitors, including industry giants like Yili and Mengniu as well as international brands from Italy and Germany. Attendees focus on ice cream and frozen food manufacturing, cold chain logistics and distribution. Internationalisation is obvious: the 2025 edition attracted more than 2,000 overseas buyers from over 90 countries and regions, with the largest groups coming from Russia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
ICE CREAM CHINA follows a 'small but beautiful' approach, mastering the ice cream category with exceptional focus. It has become the annual gathering for the global ice cream community.
Three interesting trends stand out:
The decreasing trend of health. Yili has launched electrolyte ice cream, while Mengniu promotes live-culture frozen yoghurt. Consumers no longer choose ice cream simply for 'good taste'.
Chinese Cultural export through creative design. Shenyang Deshi has produced snow bars modelled on the Shenyang Imperial Palace, now selling across the US, Canada, Australia and Malaysia. They are not just selling products, but also telling Chinese stories.
International participation accelerates. The number of overseas buyers doubled in 2025 compared with the previous year. Italy sent a dedicated contingent of more than a dozen companies.
5. Canton Fair
The Canton Fair—officially the China Import and Export Fair—is a massive integrated exhibition held in three phases each spring and autumn at the Guangzhou Canton Fair Complex. The 2026 spring edition, the 139th session, ran from 15 April to 5 May and spanned 1.55 million sqm with 32,000 exhibiting companies. Refrigeration-related equipment, including domestic and commercial air conditioners, cold storage systems, cold chain machinery and refrigeration components, are dispersed across Halls A and D of Phase I, with some 2,000 participating enterprises. Over 210,000 overseas buyers attended, coming from more than 210 countries and regions; buyers from Europe, the US, the Middle East and Southeast Asia accounted for over 70% of that total.
Although not a dedicated refrigeration exhibition, the Canton Fair is widely recognised as the premier foreign trade battleground for refrigeration equipment. As one long-time participant put it: 'Here you meet the overseas buyers you'd struggle to pin down even if you flew specially to visit them.' Its scope and sheer international reach are unmatched.
Points worth highlighting:
Chinese refrigeration products grow increasingly competitive. Over recent years, the presence of overseas brands at the Canton Fair has gradually declined. In their place, Chinese brands such as Haier, Gree and Midea now stand out, impressing foreign buyers with AI-driven energy-efficient technology and product iteration.
From product export to solution export. Energy-efficient refrigeration equipment, intelligent HVAC systems and integrated cold chain solutions have become the export mainstream. For overseas production environments, integrated solutions from companies like Kinte have also drawn significant interest from professional buyers.
Summary Table of Frequency and 2027 Dates
Exhibition Name | Rotation Pattern | 2027 Dates & Venue |
CR Expo | Rotates among major cities annually (2025: Shanghai, 2026: Beijing) | 7–9 April 2027, Shanghai New International Expo Centre |
HOTELEX Shanghai | Fixed in Shanghai, held at National Exhibition and Convention Center | 30 March–2 April 2027, National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) |
CHINASHOP | Rotates among cities annually (2025: Shenzhen, 2026: Hangzhou) | 14–16 April 2027, Zhengzhou Zhongyuan International Convention and Exhibition Center |
ICE CREAM CHINA | Fixed in Tianjin, held at Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center | 16–18th Septembe, Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center |
Canton Fair | Fixed in Guangzhou, held at Canton Fair Complex, Pazhou | 15 April–5 May 2027, Canton Fair Complex, Guangzhou Pazhou |
These five exhibitions collectively form a complete matrix spanning 'technical depth—application scenarios—channel reach—niche focus—global trade'. CR Expo leads in technology and engineering; HOTELEX Shanghai serves the hospitality and catering sectors; CHINASHOP tracks the retail commercial path; ICE CREAM CHINA is a small-but-beautiful gem of the ice cream world; and the Canton Fair stands as the 'global marketplace' for foreign trade.
The common threads across the industry in recent years are clear. Digitalisation, decarbonisation and internationalisation have become central themes. AI-enabled temperature control, energy-efficient equipment and green refrigerants are now pervasive. At the same time, the specialised needs of downstream sectors, especially retail, foodservice and frozen treats, are driving rapid iteration towards more customised, compact and intelligent refrigeration equipment. These five exhibitions, as both 'barometers' and 'connectors' of the refrigeration industry, continue to shape and advance the sector's high-quality development.
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