Gulfood: deals surpass 500 million USD this year

Dubai / UAE. (dwtc) The «13th Gulf Food, Hotel and Equipment Exhibition and Salon Culinaire» took place from 24 to 27 February. According to its organizers the value of deals signed at Gulfood 2008 has far exceeded expectations, with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of deals done during the exhibition at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Such strong commercial performance was driven by a record numbers of trade visitors, with over 39.000 people registered over the week. One of the most successful national pavilions was the US Pavilion, where exhibiting companies signed on-site deals worth a staggering 100 million USD over the course of Gulfood 2008. Returning for its fourth year at Gulfood, KOMA, a Dutch manufacturer of freezing and cooling systems, sealed deals worth approximately two million USD. Through its new venture Baking Technologies, which provides complete turnkey solutions for small bakeries and factories, the group signed orders worth more than 1,6 million USD.

Organiser Dubai World Trade Centre has pushed to make the show as international as possible, segmenting the exhibition into specific trade areas, and conducting a road-show event that took them to key markets like India and North Africa. The effort has paid off in terms of global profile, with this year´s Gulfood attracting visitors and media from the broadest possible territory. Trade delegations from Canada, Egypt, France, Greenland, Iraq, Nigeria, Romania, Thailand and Vietnam all conducted important business at the show.

The show also saw the global launch of Al Farooj Fresh, a fast food Halal restaurant chain, by Islami Foods in collaboration with Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders. «The demand for Halal restaurants is growing globally, which has created immense need for these specialties», commented Saleh Abdullah Lootah, CEO, Al Islami Foods.

The annual Salon Culinaire was also a major highlight, with over 1.000 chefs competing in 24 categories, and winning displays from specialists from across the region. Organisers believe that this year´s performance positions Gulfood as one of the world´s most global food, drink and foodservice exhibitions.

«The commercial success of exhibitors at this year´s Gulfood demonstrate the dynamism of the Middle East food, drink and foodservice market, as well as the extent to which this exhibition meets and exceeds the needs of the industry», said Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai Word Trade Centre. The 14th Gulfood Exhibition will be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from 23 to 26 February 2009.