Dubai, UAE : A trio of food and beverage (F&B) industry shows running at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) this week are living up to their reputation as a holistic sourcing, education and networking hub by meeting the constantly-evolving needs of a regional F&B industry driven by growing populations and shifts in consumer preferences.

The Speciality Food Festival, SEAFEX and yummex Middle East are running alongside GulfHost 2018 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) until 1 November, and the four B2B platforms collectively boast more than 1,000 companies showcasing 2,500 brands and more than 8,000 products.

From new-to-market finished food products in various niche segments, to foodservice solutions for the HORECA segment, the shows have a five-star offering for all visitors. 

Indonesia netting gains

Demonstrating the reach and appeal of SEAFEX, the Indonesian Catfish Entrepreneurs Association (APCI) used its debut outing at the only professional seafood event for the Middle East, Africa and Asia to launch its new Indonesian Probiotic Pangasius fish product.

Healthy, sustainably sourced and adhering to environmentally-friendly production processes, the Indonesian Pangasius, which is supported by the SMART-Fish Program of UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation) is farmed using clean groundwater and probiotics, not antibiotics, making it a healthy option for provenance-minded consumers.

“We understand customer needs. World populations are growing and there’s greater demand for protein, yet people are becoming more concerned with what they consume and where it comes from,” said Samiono Supangat, Representative from APCI.

“There are more than 450,000 metric tonnes of Pangasius produced every year in Indonesia, so it was time to take this special product to the international market, which is exactly why the association chose SEAFEX. The Middle East market has huge potential considering the annual Hajj, which 200,000 Indonesians alone make every year. 

There can be more than one million people on the Hajj and Umrah combined per year and they need food and fish, which is an excellent source of protein. Through SEAFEX, we were able to make great new business contacts here in the Middle East region. Our brand has been very well received and the expected sales has already crossed USD5 million mark.”

Innovation from Italy

The Italian Trade Agency (ITA), which is supporting more than 40 companies at its pavilion in Zabeel Hall 3, is leveraging the Speciality Food Festival to highlight the long-standing tradition of Italy’s culinary produce while demonstrating how modern Italian food producers are innovating to meet wide-ranging regional demands for both high-end artisanal products and affordable mid-range food items.

“Italy provides the perfect product balance,” said Gianpaolo Bruno, Italian Trade Commissioner to the UAE, Oman and Pakistan. “Our pavilion features companies specialising in the high-end market and high-value products, while a wealth of SMEs are showcasing cost-effective mid-range products. Italy is famous for very traditional foods, but our producers are innovating to meet new tastes and consumer behaviour.

“Pizza, pasta and cheeses may be Italian staples, but our farmers are benefitting from increased exports of Italian fruit and vegetables to the UAE. As our main MENA market, the UAE absorbs around €300 million (USD340 million) worth of Italian food products annually. While the UAE is an important end market, it is also a highly-strategic market because it serves as a logistics hub to re-export our products all over the world from Dubai.”

The 2018 editions of GulfHost, The Speciality Food Festival, SEAFEX and yummex Middle East are trade events open strictly to business and trade visitors. The shows are open from 10 am – 6 pm today and 10am - 5 pm on November 1.

-Ends-

About GulfHost: www.gulfhost.ae 

Launched in 2016, GulfHost is the complete hospitality equipment sourcing Expo for the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The event provides enormous business opportunities where suppliers of wide ranging kitchen solutions and dining apparel can connect with the biggest names in hospitality in one of the fastest growing markets in the world. GulfHost 2018 takes place from 30 October – 1 November 2018.

About Speciality Food Festival, SEAFEX and yummex Middle East:

DWTC’s annual trio of niche food shows The Speciality Food Festival, SEAFEX Middle East and yummex Middle East cater to three distinct B2B trade platforms. The shows run from 30 October – 1 November at DWTC.

  • The Speciality Food Festival is the original gourmet and artisan food event for the Middle East, Africa and Asia. www.speciality.ae 
  • SEAFEX Middle East is the only professional seafood event for the Middle East, Africa and Asia. www.seafexme.com
  • yummex Middle East is the leading sweets & snacks event for the Middle East & North Africa region, organized in partnership with Koelnmesse GmbH.  www.yummexme.com 

About Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC): www.dwtc.com 

DWTC brings more than 35 years’ experience delivering world-class events in the Middle East and provides local, regional and international exhibitors with unmatched expertise and in-depth market knowledge. Our team organises more than 20 of the largest and most successful international and regional shows in Middle East, providing an ideal platform for business development in the region. Our commitment to on-going innovation within the exhibition industry has supported the rapid growth and development of a wide range of business-to-business and business-to-consumer shows and delivered consistent satisfaction to exhibitors and visitors. DWTC works with the leading trade bodies and industry associations to ensure that all exhibitions deliver full value and are built upon the real needs of their specific sector.

For more information, please contact:  

Naina Chaudhary

MCS/Action

T: +971 4 3902980

M: naina.c@actionprgroup.com 

© Press Release 2018

Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.

The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.