Business & Money | Sunday 17 February, 2019 4:33 pm |

The five-day exhibition, which runs until Thursday 21 February, has once again attracted high-calibre interest including ministers, top trade envoys and national organisations from the four corners of the globe. The show offers a platform for game-changing business deals, new market opportunities and emerging trends while setting the agenda for the future of food.

Touring the 1,000,000 sq. feet mega exhibition, HH Sheikh Hamdan, accompanied by His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) and Director General of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), was given a snapshot of the latest products from 5,000 local, regional and international exhibitors eager to show they have the solutions to meet rising food demand in the region and beyond.

 

Top-level trade missions have converged on Gulfood 2019 from 198 countries to highlight the quality and diversity of their products to feed the region’s needs. The Gulfood Global Industry Outlook Report 2019, complied by Euromonitor International, which is officially released at the show, forecasts F&B sales in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region will rise from USD145.4 billion in 2018 to USD171.2 billion by 2023 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.33 per cent. 

“Gulfood has long-established itself as the premier industry forum for F&B specialists to explore lucrative trade deals and launch new market-specific products and solutions in a region that is constantly evolving with demand for food and consumer spending increasing year-on-year,” said Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president, events and exhibitions at Dubai World Trade Centre. “This year’s show ensures exhibitors will have that crucial face time with existing partners and potential new clients, while a range of immersive new features have been added to enhance the on-show experience.”
 
Running alongside the main exhibition, the new three-day Gulfood Innovation Summit will bring together some the major players in the industry to examine the latest challenges and opportunities in the global F&B landscape.