More than 40 Singapore food and beverage (F&B) companies are set to take part in the upcoming Gulfood 2013, the annual trade show for the food and hospitality industry, in Dubai.

The Singapore companies are expecting to record their best year for sales as global demand for Asian flavours continues to grow, said International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, the government agency promoting the overseas growth of Singapore-based enterprises and international trade.

Of the 40 companies at the Singapore country pavilion, a record 30 of them are launching new products this year at the show, which runs from February 25 to 28 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

This year Gulfood will feature a record 110 country pavilions and 4,200 exhibitors.

According to IE Singapore, the GCC is now the sixth largest destination for Singapore F&B exports and is the country’s largest export market outside Asia Pacific.

The total sales volume of Singapore F&B products at Gulfood 2013 is expected to reach over $20 million, surpassing the record-breaking result of 2012, the IE stated.

"The GCC is one of the fastest-growing global markets for Singapore and we see great potential to satisfy consumers’ increasing appreciation for Asian cuisine. Gulfood has proven to be a key enabler for our F&B exports to the GCC," remarked Lester Lu, the regional Director in Dubai for IE Singapore.

Singapore companies generated their highest onsite sales at Gulfood last year, recording a 35  increase from 2011. Singapore’s F&B exports to the GCC reached a total of $258 million in 2012.

"As our companies set their sights on growing their presence in key regional markets, particularly in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, it is at Gulfood where major distribution deals to these countries are cultivated. We are expecting to break last year’s Gulfood sales record to reach another trade milestone between Singapore and the GCC," said Lu.

From 25 to 28 February, the Singapore pavilion in Halls 7 and 9 of the Dubai World Trade Centre will showcase the inventive fusion of flavours for which the country is renowned, as well as its latest halal offerings and convenient packaged goods that make cooking Asian cuisine at home easy.

Singapore’s top food exports to the Middle East remain milk and dairy products, cooking sauces, chocolate, as well as edible oils. However, beyond these consistently strong exports, Singapore companies are also pursuing growth opportunities in the categories of health and wellness, convenient foods, gourmet cuisine and halal-certified foods, said the official.
 
Joining the pavilion will be seven first-time exhibitors and 37 returning exhibitors. A main focus of participants this year is reproducing Singapore’s distinctive national dishes from ready-made sauces and seasoning mixes, stated Lu.

“The cultural diversity of the UAE, coupled with its extensive trade links to the rest of the world, creates major growth opportunities for Singapore F&B companies. Asian cuisine is becoming more popular in the region and Singapore food, with its mix of Chinese, Indian and Malay flavours, plays to this trend,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service