The 7th edition of BFSHOW, Latin America’s largest footwear trade show, is set to host its biggest Buyer Program yet, with more than 800 domestic and international buyers invited. The event, taking place November 10–12 at Distrito Anhembi in São Paulo, Brazil, is hosted by the Brazilian Footwear Industry and Trade Association (Abicalçados) and organized by NürnbergMesse Brasil (NMB). In total, BFSHOW will bring together around 300 of Brazil’s leading footwear brands and is expected to attract more than 10,500 buyers, including over 1,000 from approximately 50 countries.

Amid the challenges facing exports, driven mainly by the tariffs imposed by the United States on Brazilian products and the decline in shipments to Argentina, BFSHOW has become essential for expanding cross-border business by bringing together, in one place, the extensive range of products offered by Brazil’s footwear industry. According to Letícia Sperb Masselli, Abicalçados’ Relationship and Business Manager, around 200 international buyers invited through the Buyer Program have been confirmed for the seventh edition. “We are coming off a positive edition of Micam Milano, which has significantly boosted the confidence of exporting companies ahead of BFSHOW, the Brazilian footwear industry’s major showcase to the world. Against this backdrop, we expect to surpass the business generated at the previous edition of the event (US$46 million),” the manager says, highlighting the efforts made by the trade show, together with Abicalçados and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), to bring first-time buyers to the event through the Buyer Program. “Given the difficulties in conventional markets, our goal is to diversify the number of countries represented,” she adds.

So far, buyers from the following countries and territories have been confirmed for the Buyer Program: Germany, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, the United Arab Emirates, Ecuador, Spain, the United States, France, Greece, Guatemala, Mauritius, Israel, Kuwait, Libya, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Kenya, the United Kingdom, the Dominican Republic, Russia, Tanzania, Uruguay and Zambia.

International Presence
Attending BFSHOW for the first time, Judy Ndungi, founder and director of Kenya-based Accessorize with Style, says the retail chain does not yet carry Brazilian footwear and plans to use the trade show as an opportunity to introduce Brazilian products to the local market. “Initially, we are focusing on women’s footwear, sandals and casual styles, as well as fashion-forward and highly comfortable products. However, based on what we see at the show, we may also purchase men’s casual footwear,” she says. Although the company does not yet import from Brazil, Ndungi says she appreciates Brazilian footwear for its “strong combination of contemporary design, comfort and competitive pricing.” “At this trade show, we are looking for creative footwear with plenty of color, comfort and fashion,” she adds. The entrepreneur currently operates six stores in Nairobi and Mombasa.

One of the international buyers invited to the November edition is Jose Antonio Albero Belda, manager of Nuez Moscada SL, a Spanish distribution company that operates in its domestic market as well as in countries such as Portugal, Italy and Greece. According to him, a significant share of the more than 30,000 pairs of Brazilian footwear imported annually is expected to be purchased at the event. “Brazilian products offer important advantages in the European market, particularly in terms of design, manufacturing and competitive pricing, with the latter becoming increasingly important to the business,” the manager says.

National Presence
According to NMB Head Felipe Marchioni, around 600 buyers from Brazil’s key markets will be brought to the event through the Buyer Program. “These buyers were nominated by the exhibitors themselves, based on factors such as purchasing capacity and potential, as well as regional distribution. BFSHOW is increasingly attracting domestic buyers from a wide range of market segments. Despite the current market uncertainty, expectations are quite positive, as these invited buyers are relevant players in the Brazilian market,” he says.

Participating since the first edition of BFSHOW, Mersan, a retail chain with 32 stores in Bahia, is one of the buyers invited through the Buyer Program. The company’s Purchasing Director, Pedro Henrique Rocha Mercês dos Santos, highlights the event’s growth. “It is impressive to see how much the trade show has grown, both in terms of organization and infrastructure. It has changed the landscape and simplified trade show logistics for retailers, becoming the sector’s main opportunity for networking and business,” he says. In terms of business, he says he will be looking for footwear across all segments, as well as accessories and new products that can stand out in stores. “At the trade show, we usually finalize negotiations, define collections and set our purchasing schedule,” he adds, noting that the chain sells more than one million footwear and accessory products annually. Despite the uncertain economic environment, Santos says 2026 is proving to be better than the previous year, raising positive expectations for BFSHOW. “This period of uncertainty shows how important relationships with suppliers are, as well as the need for a much more consistent and well-executed approach to purchasing, which makes BFSHOW even more relevant,” he concludes.

Another buyer invited to the November trade show is Pittol Calçados, a retail chain with 29 stores in the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Cassia Regina Tamanho, the company’s purchasing analyst, highlights BFSHOW’s growth, noting that in just a few years it has become Latin America’s leading footwear trade show. “The expansion of BFSHOW reinforces market confidence and points to a positive outlook for the entire fashion and footwear supply chain. We always place orders at the trade show to stock our stores, and this year will be no different,” she says, adding that sales are expected to increase in 2026 and that she is bringing those expectations to the footwear trade show.

SERVICE:
7th BFSHOW
Dates: November 10–12, 2026, Tuesday through Thursday
Hours: November 10 and 11, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. November 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Distrito Anhembi, São Paulo, Brazil