Gulfood ‘19 pushes industry boundaries

Global food sector power brand Gulfood – the world’s largest annual food and beverage trade exhibition – is raising the international industry forum bar for its 24th edition, which will run at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on Feb. 17-21, 2019.

Having already won major international acclaim for the breadth and depth of its offering as a strategic hub for setting and evolving global food trade trends, Gulfood organizers DWTC have instigated another round of show innovation to ensure the finished foods mega event stays well ahead of the industry curve.

Gulfood visitors will discover a show packed to the DWTC rafters taking up more than 1,000,000 square feet, with 5,000 exhibitors and 120 country pavilions vying for business with the latest F&B produce and showcases across eight primary market sectors: Beverages; Dairy; Fats & Oils; Pulses, Grains & Cereals; Health, Wellness & Free-from; Meat & Poultry; Power Brands; and World Food.

With a packed exhibitor house and vibrant new features, DWTC is confident that Gulfood 2019 will see the show attract upwards of 98,000 attendees from 193 countries. Together with well-established features of Halal World Food and Discover Zone, which highlights industry innovation, and the CEZVE/IBRIK World Championship, DWTC has once again succeeded in widening the show’s scope and capabilities as it heads towards its silver anniversary in 2020.

Gulfood 2019 is a trade event open strictly to business and trade visitors. The show is open 11am-7pm from February 17 – 20 and 11am-5pm on February 21. Visitors who pre-register before February 07 will save AED150 ($40) on the on-site entry fee of AED420 ($114). Visit www.gulfood.com

With a packed exhibitor house and vibrant new features, DWTC is confident that Gulfood 2019 will see the show attract upwards of 98,000 attendees from 193 countries. Together with well-established features of Halal World Food and Discover Zone, which highlights industry innovation, and the CEZVE/IBRIK World Championship, DWTC has once again succeeded in widening the show’s scope and capabilities as it heads towards its silver anniversary in 2020.

Gulfood 2019 is a trade event open strictly to business and trade visitors. The show is open 11am-7pm from February 17 – 20 and 11am-5pm on February 21. Visitors who pre-register before February 07 will save AED150 ($40) on the on-site entry fee of AED420 ($114). Visit www.gulfood.com

To be held under a new theme – ‘The World of Good, The World of Food’ – Gulfood 2019 will showcase the global diversity of ‘food’ via its international exhibitor base and a major pool of Michelin-starred chefs participating in the all-new Tastes of the World competition. Many of the largest country pavilions are already committed to the contest, including France, Germany, Spain, Japan and Brazil.

On the ‘good’ side, shifting consumer preferences for health food options and other industry-shaping topics will feature heavily in the Gulfood Innovation Summit from February 18-20. The Summit will set the scene for three days of high-caliber industry discussion with the airing of a global social and economic outlook for the F&B industry on its first day.

Ranging from sector disruptors such as Beyond Meat, to major global entities including The United Nations World Food Program, the Summit will feature in-depth discussions and exclusive question-and-answer sessions with globally acclaimed chefs, influencers and industry leaders on the challenges of introducing breakthrough concepts to local markets.

Also new for Gulfood 2019 is a range of immersive features designed to enhance visitor experience and facilitate greater business opportunities, including CxO Club, Start-Up Program, the Meat-Me competition, Tea House, and a dedicated Health Lab.

“The new features are designed to reflect the trends the industry is currently undergoing and will bring new dynamics to a show that is already well known for its vibrancy in product and service innovation,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice President, Exhibitions & Events, DWTC.

The two-day competition will see US-style barbeque pit masters from UAE-based restaurants go head-to-head in ‘smoking’ and BBQ master classes and cook-offs. The contest has won early support from American Chef and Pitmaster Orelle Young of The Blacksmith Smokehouse Dubai, the emirate’s first real smokehouse, who believes the Gulfood spotlight can give the segment a much-deserved boost.