Making dollars and sense for global food industry

DUBAI -- With an unrivalled track record for delivering record business deals, quality customers and entry into lucrative new markets, Gulfood is a key element in the business plans of food, beverage and hospitality companies around the world.  Generating billions of dirhams in transactions for local, regional and international manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and retailers, the show is now the world’s largest annual trade exhibition for the industry and the 2012 show is forecast to facilitate more transactions than any other hospitality trade show globally.

Gulfood runs from 19 to 22 February 2012 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, and brings together 3,800 exhibitors and an expected 65,000 trade visitors from 152 countries for the four day show.  More than 83 countries and a record 107 international pavilions are expected to record brisk business trade.

Reports from the Gulfood 2011 show included sales from the Malaysian pavilion alone of more than US$16.2 million during the show with an additional US$28.5 million in business trade conducted following the event. According to Dzulkifli Mahmud, Trade Commissioner of the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), the GCC provides an excellent opportunity for Malaysian companies entering the market, and they are expecting sales to increase by approximately 20% over last year.

With the GCC now one of the top 10 markets for US agricultural exports, Gulfood plays an important role in facilitating global growth for the US industry.  Over US$34 million worth of orders were confirmed at last year’s show, and many more contracts fulfilled as a result of US companies’ presence at Gulfood.

As the key economic driver of France’s economy, the food industry in the country contributes more than €150 billion annually, with exports to the Middle East region reaching more than €1.525 billion last year. More than 100 exhibitors filled the French Pavilion at Gulfood 2011, conducting record sales in poultry, dairy, apples, biscuits and mineral waters.

New Balance