The world will literally arrive on a platter to the UAE and the region next month, when the 10th Gulf Food, Hotel and Equipment Exhibition is unveiled at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The world will literally arrive on a platter to the UAE and the region next month, when the 10th Gulf Food, Hotel and Equipment Exhibition is unveiled at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

This trade-only exhibition, being held from February 20 – 23, is the region's definitive industry event of its kind, and is a must-visit for professionals from the food and beverage, hotel, technology, catering, food service, supermarket, equipment and restaurant sectors.

Currently in its 10th edition, the biennial exhibition has grown to become the region's biggest trade hub for professionals from the foodservice and hospitality sector, and impacts the palates of close to two billion consumers in the region.

The exhibition will feature all the essential ingredients required to make it a truly international industry event, including food and beverage, food processing machinery; hotel, refrigeration and food service equipment; baking and confectionery products and equipment; hotel supplies and service; and hospitality information systems.

'Gulfood provides a unique opportunity for both international manufacturers and regional and local buyers from markets such as the Middle East, North Africa, Indian subcontinent and Pakistan, Russia and CIS Countries,' said Helal Saeed Khalfan Al Marri, Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). 'This year, Gulfood has expanded in all sectors, with more than 2,000 participating companies from 53 countries and 36 national pavilions.'

The statistics show a considerable boost from the previous Gulfood – a 73 percent increase in net exhibition space and 11 more national pavilions. Over 20,000 trade visitors are expected at Gulfood that reflects a 50% increase from the last edition of the show, when buyers from 71 countries attended. Gulfood 2005 will see 36 national pavilions, an increase of 30 percent on the previous Gulfood.

The new national pavilions include Portugal, Argentina, Armenia, Lebanon, Malaysia and Mauritius. This year's exhibition will also witness the largest ever participation from Egypt, with 30 of the leading Egyptian food manufacturers demonstrating their products.

"The excellent conditions in Dubai have ensured its emergence as one of the most important trading hubs for this sector in the region,' Al Marri added.

Dubai World Trade Centre, the organisers of the Gulfood exhibition is gearing up to extend personal invitations to more than 100,000 trade visitors from the target markets. The exhibition's focus on international contemporary technologies, products and trends also makes it the exhibition of choice for food, hotel and related professionals.

'At Gulfood, international industry giants exhibit alongside niche players, making it the ideal choice to establish diverse international contacts,' Al Marri said. 'This is one of the biggest draws for professionals around the world – they can come to Dubai not only to see what the region but also what the world has to offer.

The Emirates International Salon Culinaire, organised by the Emirates Culinary Guild, and sponsored by Nestle, Sadia and Eggstation will be held alongside Gulfood. Featuring competitions, demonstrations and displays to showcase the talent and imagination of top international, regional and local chefs, Salon Culinaire will be a celebration of international fine dining. The Emirates Culinary Guild is a part of the World Association of Cooks Society (WACS) and 16 chefs from around the world have been invited as jury members for the competitions.

Gulfood has also teamed up with the 3rd Middle East Food Marketing Forum to create a unique opportunity for food and beverage industry professionals to network, debate and help the food marketing industry keep its finger on the pulse of consumer trends. In addition to the debates, the forum will include the popular 'See, Smell, Taste and Touch' session.

Another key event scheduled for Gulfood is the gala dinner being organized by Dairy Australia, where 200 guests will have the opportunity to sample Australian dairy products at their best, showcasing the fact that the country supplies 17 percent of the world's exported dairy products.

Organisers have added new features to make the exhibition as accessible and professional as possible. The opening hours of the exhibition are from 11 am to 7 pm from February 20 – 22, and until 5 pm on February 23.

Top of Page