Major new healthy food launches are being lined up by exhibitors at the upcoming 24th edition of Gulfood, a global leading annual food and beverage trade exhibition, to be held next month in Dubai, UAE.

The event will take place from February 17 to 21, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

Buoyed by a significant trend in mindful eating, exhibitors are preparing to launch new products - many of which are free from gluten and dairy - with significant health and wellness benefits, said a statement from the organisers.

The health-focused products are a cornerstone of Gulfood’s new theme for 2019: ‘The World of Good, The World of Food’, it said.

The launches come as Euromonitor International, a world leading independent provider of strategic market research, forecasts the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region’s health, wellness and free-from product sales will rise 7 per cent over the next five years compared with a global average of 4 per cent.

Euromonitor says regional consumers are paying more attention than ever to what they eat and are opting “for products that make them feel good and lead to long-term health benefits”.

With Euromonitor highlighting how regional consumers “are becoming more selective in their choices, prioritising fresh, natural and minimally processed food and drinks,” the research provider has identified regional key trends as: vegan and glutenfree products, along with plant-based proteins, products with low-calorie options and those with no ‘artificial’ ingredients, including sweeteners, as well as longevity foods such as avocado oil and dragon fruit.

Such is the region’s appetite for food with health benefits that Gulfood organiser DWTC has given Health, Wellness & Free-From its own showcase sector within the upcoming event.

“The importance of nutrition has spiralled in recent years,” explained Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president, exhibitions and events, DWTC.

“The advice to ‘eat well’ is no longer just about keeping our bodies healthy. Eating responsibly also implies a sense of knowing what and when to eat, as well as an awareness of where food comes from and how it is produced. The backstory of products is becoming as important as tastes,” she added.

New Country Healthcare (NCH), a Dubai-based distributor and retailer of health and wellness products, will leverage Gulfood 2019 to roll out healthy, new-to-market brands which promote a healthy lifestyle, according to Dr Nael Al Koudsi, the firm’s managing director.

Al Koudsi said: “Gulfood has always been a source of the latest trends and new brands.”

“NCH will use Gulfood, as the regional industry’s largest gathering of its type, to identify local and international partners to help us develop our brands in new territories. The market is having a positive inclination towards healthy options in the food and beverage sector. The consumer shopping experience has also changed in a short time as all the leading hypermarkets have started focusing on a dedicated area with a special section for healthy food options,” Al Koudsi added.

Identifying Mena trends shifting towards organic and natural products, as well as increased demand for clear and clean labels for product ingredients, NCH plans to launch three new brands into the market via Gulfood: specialised Fossil River liquid salts from Spain, which are naturally low in sodium; Jasberry from Thailand, which is crossbred rice and pasta made only from superfoods; and locally-produced SimplyDates – snack bars made purely with dates with 0 per cent added sugar.

Meanwhile, regional food supply giant Barakat Quality Plus, which will showcase a new range of ice pops and juices at the show, says the trend towards healthy food represents ‘a sea change in the consumer’s general outlook to what is good’ for them.

The company’s managing director Chef Michael Gerhard Wunsch, said that consumers now go beyond just the information on labels and actively research food and beverage ingredients to clearly understand the benefits and pitfalls.

Wunsch believes the trend must be met by producers increasing innovation.

“The sector needs to equip itself with the latest technologies for food research, packaging and environmentally-friendly best practices for food waste management. To do justice to the position of strength we have to create and empower global trends,” he added.

German exhibitor CSM Deutschland, a leading international manufacturer and supplier of baking and confectionery ingredients and frozen baked products, is looking to capitalise on the growing trend for health and wellness.

“Gulfood is a great opportunity for us to display our world-class portfolio of bakery ingredients, products and services. Our focus has always been on providing qualitative, nutritious and delicious baked products,” said Vladimir Trankovsky, VP International Operations, CSM Bakery Solutions.

“The industry is now being driven by consumer preferences towards healthier food options and mindful eating habits and CSM Deutschland GmbH focuses on sourcing the finest ingredients for health-minded consumers,” he added.

With Gulfood projected to attract upwards of 98,000 attendees from 198 countries, visitors will discover a show packed with 5,000 exhibitors and 120 country pavilions vying for business across eight primary market sectors: beverages; dairy; fats and oils; health, wellness and free-from; meat and poultry; power brands; pulses, grains and cereals; and world food, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service