InterFood Astana is Kazakhstan’s largest international exhibition for the food industry, bringing together manufacturers, distributors, and equipment suppliers across Central Asia. The 2026 edition, the 26th in the series, took place from May 13 to 15 at the EXPO International Exhibition Center in Astana. The event featured 61 companies from 14 countries, including national pavilions from Belarus and regional collective stands from Russia, and attracted 2,094 industry professionals over three days. Behind the displays of food products, beverages, ingredients, and processing equipment, a specialized workforce makes international business possible: models, interpreters, stand assistants, and hostesses.
Models: Visual Anchors for Food Brands
Food industry exhibitions combine B2B business functions with consumer-facing product presentations. Tasting zones, product displays, and brand showcases require visual appeal that engages both trade buyers and industry visitors. Models at InterFood Astana serve as image and promotional representatives for food manufacturers, beverage brands, and equipment suppliers.
At InterFood Astana, models typically stand beside product displays, engage with visitors, and help draw attention in exhibition halls where dozens of companies compete for visibility. For brands launching new products or seeking to project a modern, professional image, models contribute to the overall impression of a well-organized enterprise.
Astana has an established modeling industry serving the events sector. Agencies provide professional models for exhibitions, presentations, business forums, and promotional events across the capital. Market rates for professional event models in Astana start from approximately 12,000 tenge per hour, with promotional models available from 10,000 tenge per hour. For multi-day exhibitions like InterFood Astana, agencies often offer package rates and can arrange briefing sessions before the event.
Interpreters: Bridging the Language Divide
InterFood Astana’s international composition makes interpreters indispensable. With exhibitors from 14 countries and visitors representing 23 countries worldwide, the exhibition is a genuine global meeting point for the food industry. For international companies demonstrating food products and processing technology in the Kazakhstani market, and for regional distributors seeking global partnerships, interpretation services facilitate commercial negotiations and technical discussions.
The linguistic demands at InterFood Astana are substantial. Food industry terminology requires precision: ingredient specifications, packaging technology parameters, food safety standards, and logistics requirements must be rendered accurately. Interpreters working the exhibition floor must be comfortable with technical vocabulary spanning food production, processing, packaging, and quality control.
The interpreting work at InterFood Astana spans multiple formats. During the MEAT & DAIRY INDUSTRY FORUM—a key part of the business program covering investment, technology, and export markets—simultaneous and consecutive interpreting facilitates knowledge exchange between international experts. On the exhibition floor, consecutive interpreting becomes the primary mode—interpreters accompany brand representatives, facilitate conversations with potential partners, and help international visitors understand product offerings. For the Retail-Distributor Center, a specialized negotiation platform connecting suppliers with retail chains and distributors, professional interpretation is essential to productive discussions.
Stand Assistants: The Operational Core
Stand assistants at InterFood Astana perform the functional work that keeps exhibition booths productive. Their responsibilities include registering visitors, collecting contact information, distributing brochures and product samples, managing visitor flow, and directing inquiries to the appropriate sales or technical staff.
For food and beverage brands exhibiting at the show, stand assistants often perform a qualification function. A visitor approaching a booth may be an importer, a retail chain buyer, a HoReCa representative, a distributor, or a journalist. A skilled stand assistant can quickly assess visitor intent and route them appropriately, allowing sales directors and technical experts to focus on high-value conversations.
The scale of InterFood Astana creates unique operational demands. With over 2,000 industry professionals moving through the exhibition halls over three days, efficient visitor management is critical. The exhibition covers a wide range of sectors—from food and beverages to equipment for processing, packaging, storage, and logistics—requiring stand assistants who can navigate diverse product categories.
Stand hostess services for exhibitions in Astana and Almaty start from approximately 9,600 tenge per hour, with standard hostess services for exhibition stands and business events starting from 7,200 tenge per hour. Many agencies offer package rates for multi-day engagements and provide preparation sessions to ensure staff understand brand guidelines and event flow.
Hostesses: The First Point of Contact
Hostesses serve as the welcoming face of exhibition stands at InterFood Astana. Their primary function is to greet visitors, create a positive first impression, and initiate conversations that can lead to deeper engagement with the brand’s representatives.
At InterFood Astana, the hostess role carries particular weight because of the professional and international nature of the visitor base. Food industry attendees include importers, distributors, retail chain representatives, HoReCa professionals, and government officials from across Kazakhstan and Central Asia. A warm, professional welcome sets a tone that reflects the brand’s organizational competence.
Language proficiency is a key requirement for hostesses working at InterFood Astana. Russian fluency is essential for engaging the majority of visitors, while Kazakh proficiency is a valuable additional asset. English proficiency is increasingly sought after by international exhibitors. With participation from companies across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, hostesses who can communicate across multiple languages provide direct value.
The working conditions for hostesses at InterFood Astana are demanding. The exhibition runs over three days, with opening hours from 10:00 to 18:00 on May 13 and 14, and 10:00 to 16:00 on May 15. Hostesses working major brand booths typically stand for extended periods and may work rotating shifts. Astana has an established market of agencies providing hostesses and promotional staff for exhibitions and business events.
Practical Considerations for Exhibitors
Exhibitors planning staff for InterFood Astana should recognize that these roles serve distinct functions and require different skill sets. Models need to combine professional presentation with basic product familiarity. Interpreters require specialized food industry vocabulary and business communication skills. Stand assistants need operational reliability and crowd management abilities. Hostesses need warmth, professionalism, and often multilingual capabilities in Russian, Kazakh, and English.
The recruitment process for major brands typically involves casting calls for models and hostesses, while interpreters and stand assistants may be sourced through staffing agencies or professional networks. Booking staff early—ideally 2 to 4 weeks before the event—ensures availability and allows time for briefing and preparation.
Budget planning should account for the full duration of the exhibition, which spans three days. Hostess and promotional staff rates in Astana range from 7,200 to 12,000+ tenge per hour depending on experience and language skills. The investment in staff quality directly affects brand perception at an event where the visitor base consists primarily of professionals who evaluate exhibitors on organizational competence as much as product quality.
InterFood Astana represents the largest food industry gathering in Kazakhstan and a key platform for the region’s food processing and export development. The professionals who staff its booths—models, interpreters, stand assistants, and hostesses—are not peripheral to the experience. They are the human interface between food industry innovation and the global professionals who come to evaluate, negotiate, and partner.
InterFood Astana 2026 was held May 13–15 at the EXPO International Exhibition Center in Astana, Kazakhstan.
