Loyallyst in Astana: International Restaurant & Bar Expo Kazakhstan 2026
From 16 to 18 June, the Loyallyst team visited Astana for International Restaurant & Bar Expo Kazakhstan—the largest Central Asian exhibition for chefs, restaurateurs, and bartenders. Three packed days, hundreds of new connections, and countless impressions: here is how it went.
About the exhibition
The expo took place at the Astana International Exhibition Centre and brought together more than 250 exhibitors, over 9,000 visitors, and representatives from more than 15 countries. It is a key meeting point for HoReCa, where restaurant, café, and bar owners from across the region discuss the market’s direction and find new partners.
We have worked with the Kazakhstan market for a long time, but this trip was special. For the first time, we could go beyond remote business and meet people in person, immerse ourselves in the culture, and experience the atmosphere from within.
Our stand and joint activity with Poster
At the exhibition, we worked alongside our colleagues and partners at Poster. Together, we prepared a stand and a special offer for Expo 2026 participants: 10% off Poster when paying for any three-month plan, plus two months of Loyallyst for the price of one.
The collaboration clearly demonstrated how the combination of “POS + loyalty programme” covers restaurant needs end to end—from inventory and finance to rewards and marketing automation.
Our CEO’s talk
A special moment was the presentation by Loyallyst CEO and co-founder Andrii Dobrovolskyi: “The New HoReCa Economy 2026: Why Retention Has Become More Important Than Acquisition.”
Andrii explained how the market has changed: advertising costs have risen, competition has intensified, and guest attention has become the most expensive resource. Where businesses once focused on acquiring new visitors, today the winners are those that know how to retain and bring them back.
He also discussed LTV—not simply as a marketing formula, but as a reflection of the emotional connection between a brand and its guests—and how automation and AI help restaurants analyse customer data faster and launch targeted win-back campaigns in minutes.
Meetings with customers
Alongside our work at the stand, we met both long-standing customers and new companies that discovered Loyallyst at the exhibition. We cannot reveal the partners yet, but several conversations have already grown into new collaborations.
Almaty: continuing the trip
Our trip did not end in Astana. We also visited Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest business and restaurant hub. The Loyallyst team met customers and partners, discussed current cooperation, shared new product features, and exchanged plans for the future.
Almaty is an important city for us, with an active HoReCa market. Face-to-face meetings with local teams always offer far more than emails or video calls.
What mattered most
Beyond the business programme, the trip gave us an opportunity to understand Kazakhstan’s market not only through figures and reports, but in person: meeting industry colleagues, exchanging experience with other market players, and experiencing the local culture of hospitality.
Our three days in Astana were genuinely full: new connections, warm meetings with long-standing customers, valuable conversations with colleagues, and countless impressions. Trips like this remind us why we do what we do—helping restaurants truly understand their guests and build lasting relationships with them.
Thank you to everyone who visited our stand, attended the presentation, and shared their stories. See you again soon!
