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Cyprus Showcases Its Culinary Heritage At London Food Festival

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 8, 2026

Cyprus Uses London Food Festival To Expand Culinary Reach

Cyprus showcased a wide range of food and drink products at the London Food & Drink Festival 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen its presence in the British market.

Represented by the Cyprus Trade Centre in London, the Energy, Commerce and Industry Ministry hosted an information stand at ExCeL London on September 16 and 17.

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A Showcase Of Cypriot Tradition And Products

The Cypriot pavilion featured both traditional and contemporary products, including halloumi and other dairy products, cured meats, bakery goods, honey, wine and zivania.

Visitors could also discover traditional sweets, fruit preserves, carob syrup, trahanas, nuts, juices and rose-based products, highlighting the breadth of Cyprus’ food and drink sector.

Tastings Bring Cypriot Cuisine To Life

Tastings gave visitors a direct introduction to Cypriot cuisine, with a chef preparing dishes inspired by the island’s culinary traditions.

Promotional materials at the stand also included product information, recipes and the Cyprus Gastronomic Map, offering visitors and industry professionals a guide to local specialities.

A New Platform For International Trade

Held for the first time this year, the London festival brought together five established trade exhibitions covering food, drink, hospitality and retail.

Around 600 exhibitors and more than 10,000 industry professionals from the UK and abroad attended the event, according to the ministry, creating opportunities to raise product visibility and develop new business connections.

Strengthening Cyprus’ Position In The UK Market

Cyprus’ participation aimed to promote the island’s gastronomic heritage while increasing awareness of its food and drink products among British consumers and trade professionals.

The initiative is part of a broader strategy to expand Cypriot food and beverage exports to the UK, with a focus on the authenticity, provenance and distinctiveness of local products.

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Foreign-Controlled Firms In Cyprus Punch Above Their Weight With More Than 40,000 Jobs

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 8, 2026

Foreign-controlled enterprises may represent only a modest slice of Cyprus’ business landscape, but their economic footprint is anything but small. In 2024, these firms accounted for 10% of employment in the country and generated €4.76 billion in value added, according to Eurostat.

A Small Group With Outsized Economic Impact

Eurostat’s data show that 681 foreign-controlled enterprises were operating in Cyprus across industry, construction and market services last year, employing 40,187 people. Together, they produced €4.76 billion in value added, underscoring the importance of internationally owned businesses to the Cypriot economy.

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That contribution is notable precisely because of the limited number of companies involved. In structural terms, foreign-controlled firms remain a small part of the market. In economic terms, they are major employers and significant value creators.

How Cyprus Compares Across The European Union

Across the European Union, 364,308 foreign-controlled enterprises employed 25.64 million people in 2024 and generated €2.68 trillion in value added. Although they made up just 1% of all market producer enterprises, they accounted for 16% of employment and 24% of total value added.

Most of these firms were controlled by institutional units from other EU countries, which made up 59% of the total. The remaining 41% were controlled from outside the bloc.

Cyprus sits near the middle of the pack on employment share. Foreign-controlled enterprises accounted for 10% of jobs in the country, the same as Italy and above Greece, where the figure stood at 8%.

Where Foreign Ownership Matters Most

Luxembourg recorded the highest share of foreign-controlled enterprises among EU member states, with such companies making up 28% of all enterprises. Estonia followed at 12%. In every other member state, the share was 5% or less, ranging from 0.3% in Poland and Italy to 5% in Croatia.

The contribution of foreign-controlled businesses to national output also varied sharply across the bloc. Ireland led with foreign-controlled enterprises responsible for 72% of value added, followed by Luxembourg at 62% and Slovakia at 50%.

At the lower end, foreign-controlled enterprises accounted for 15% of value added in France and 18% in both Italy and Germany.

Cyprus Versus Greece

Cyprus’ 681 foreign-controlled enterprises generated €4.76 billion in value added, according to Eurostat’s table covering industry, construction and market services. By comparison, Greece had 4,548 foreign-controlled enterprises employing 281,558 people and generating €22.31 billion in value added.

The contrast illustrates a broader pattern across Europe: foreign-controlled firms often represent a small share of the total business population, yet their role in jobs, investment and economic output is disproportionate to their numbers.

The Broader Policy Lesson

For policymakers, the data reinforce a familiar but important point. Economies that attract and retain foreign-controlled firms gain more than corporate presence alone; they secure employment, capital deployment and productivity gains that can ripple through the wider business ecosystem.

In Cyprus, that dynamic is especially clear. Fewer than 700 foreign-controlled enterprises employ more than 40,000 people and contribute billions to the economy, showing how global capital can shape a small open economy far beyond its numerical footprint.