2nd Speciality Food Festival Reports Strong Appetite for Niche Gourmet Products
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
22 December 2011
The Speciality Food Festival, the region’s only dedicated gourmet and fine food trade show, concluded three days of brisk international business as industry professionals sourced the finest gourmet products and ingredients from around the world.
Organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre, the Speciality Food Festival welcomed 9,436 highly targeted trade professionals to the show, which this year boasted an increase in exhibition space of 300% on last year’s inaugural event. Focused on four key sectors – Gourmet, Halal, Seafood and Organic – the show attracted many of the region’s top chefs and hospitality companies looking for premium products for an increasingly discerning customer palate.
“Exhibitor feedback has been excellent, with strong business sales reported, new distribution contracts agreed and a healthy level of networking among buyers and suppliers. The growth of the Speciality Food Festival in just one year reaffirms the Middle East’s demand for fine foods and emphasises Dubai’s role as a key source of international gourmet products as well as a key destination for fine dining,” said Trixee Loh, Senior Vice President, Dubai World Trade Centre.
Gastronomically renowned regions from around the world were represented at the show, with countries from as far afield as Australia, Argentina, French Polynesia, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Spain, joining a host of new countries at the show including Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Germany, India, Ireland, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa, Greece, Russia and Sri Lanka
Australian company, Our Organics Trading Company reported excellent results, with Geoff Lewis, CEO, commenting: “We exhibited last year and this show is definitely bigger and better in terms of quality of visitors. Customers we have secured here are looking for specific products, which make for more direct and productive interaction. We’ve seen companies at the show that we’ve never seen before and that indicates that there is a lot of interest in this market. It is a must attend event for us.”
Emirates Gourmet General Trading LLC, also returned to the show this year following its success last year. Managing Director, Mohammed Haneef said: “This is the second time we have exhibited at the show and we have come across a very discerning audience, unlike exhibitions which have a high volume of traffic but less qualified visitors. As we are in the business of speciality products, it is important to be part of this show – it’s a great platform to reach out to specialist buyers.”
Ukrainian cookie and biscuit manufacturer Palazzo Bandinelli were first time participants at Speciality Food Festival and presented 12 products from their line. Andriy Rapyna, Sales Manager for the company said: “This is the first ever visit for us, as we increasingly recognise the importance of the Middle East. We are delighted with the calibre of visitors to our stand, and we are looking to return next year.”
Seafood specialists also received a high level of interest from the restaurant trade including Argentinian organic oyster supplier Puelchana Patagonia, Germany’s Gourmet House and Desietra, suppliers of the finest Beluga, Russian and Siberian caviar.
Organic and halal products featured prominently at the event, with a number of regional and international suppliers showcasing prime quality products such as honey from Cyprus, pistachios, raisins and dates from Iran, fruit and nuts from Australia, and selections of gourmet halal Mediterranean tapas, antipasto and mezze products.
The dedicated Chefs’ Corner presented by the Emirates Culinary Guild proved a highlight once again, with regular daily demonstrations from a number of top international chefs showcasing their culinary talents using ingredients sourced from the exhibitors at the show.
Three other industry-related exhibitions ran concurrently with the Speciality Food Festival, and offered both visitors and exhibitors excellent sourcing and cross-selling opportunities. Sweets & Snacks Middle East, together with SnackTec Middle East, is the region’s only dedicated showcase for the sweets, snacks, chocolate and bakery sectors, including everything from ingredients, equipment and technology through to the finished products for catering and retail. ITCA Dubai, the travel catering and services exhibition, connects the region’s air and cruise operators with international suppliers of premium catering and hospitality products and services.
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Notes:
About The Speciality Food Festival
Website: www.speciality.ae
The Speciality Food Festival is one of a series of dedicated food shows serving up enterprising opportunities for one of the fastest growing markets in the world - the Middle East. The Speciality Food Festival includes the following distinctive segments: Gourmet, Halal, Organic and Seafood.
Held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, The Speciality Food Festival is the ideal platform for producers, suppliers, importers & exporters to present their products to a carefully selected audience of select buyers, chefs, distributors, retail and delicatessen outlets wishing to sample, source and order wholesale gourmet, halal, organic and seafood from regional and global suppliers.
About Sweets & Snacks Middle East
Website: www.sweetsmiddleeast.com
Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Koelnmesse GmbH presented Sweets & Snacks Middle East 2011, the international exhibition for the Sweets & Confectionery, Bakery, Snack Food and Ice Cream Industry. Held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, alongside Sweet & SnackTec Middle East, it is the ideal platform for producers, suppliers, importers & exporters to capitalise on the region´s booming market.
About ITCA Dubai www.itcadubai.com
Launched in 2006, ITCA Dubai is the only dedicated travel catering services exhibition for the MENA region and one of the largest events of its kind in the world. ITCA Dubai is presented by DWTC in partnership with ITCA (the International Travel Catering Association). The ITCA Gala Dinner is held alongside the event and will feature the Pax International Readership Awards.
About Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)
www.dwtc.com
As the organiser of The Speciality Food Festival 2010, Dubai World Trade Centre offers more than 31 years experience of delivering world-class events in the Middle East, providing local, regional and international exhibitors with unmatched expertise and in-depth market knowledge. Our team organises 18 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 ongoing 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:
Payal Keswani Kurt Parry
Mojo PR Dubai World Trade Centre
Tel: +971 50 770 7635 Tel: +971 4 308 6124
e-mail: payal@mojo-me.com e-mail: kurt.parry@dwtc.com
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