More than 30,000 global visitors are expected to attend the 2016 editions of Gulfood Manufacturing, the Speciality Food Festival, Seafex and the newly-named Yummex Middle East, in Dubai, UAE.

The events which kicked of today (November 7) will run until November 9, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

The events were inaugurated by Dr Rashid Bin Ahmed Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of State, accompanied by a number of leading UAE business chiefs and VVIPs, said the organisers.

In only its third edition, Gulfood Manufacturing has attracted 1,600 exhibitors from 58 countries, with the 80,000 square-metre exhibition reporting impressive 25 per cent year-on-year growth in floor space which means the event will span 13 halls this year – two more than in 2015, it said.  

The show will host 29 official national pavilions including production machinery leaders Austria, Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan and the UK, as well as first-time national pavilions representing Indonesia, Ireland, Russia and South Africa.

“The phenomenal growth of Gulfood Manufacturing underlines the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish Dubai as a major international manufacturing hub,” said Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president, Exhibitions and Events Management, DWTC.

“As a thriving food manufacturing capital and strategic re-export hub to the growing populations of the wider GCC region and beyond, Dubai has all the ingredients to lay sustainable foundations and create a long-term impact in the lucrative food manufacturing, packaging and processing spheres,” she said.

“Gulfood Manufacturing can serve as strategic entry-point for global firms to meet, network and partner with local companies as part of their efforts to monetise opportunities in both established and emerging markets on the emirate’s doorstep,” she added.

Gulfood Manufacturing 2016 will be split into three specialist areas: Ingredients Middle East, which features fine and functional ingredients and the latest bulk and commodity ingredients, innovations, tastes and flavours; ProPack Middle East, which covers automation, processing equipment and packaging machinery to solve production challenges and increase volume, flexibility, efficiency, quality and cost control; and Logistics Solutions Middle East, a platform for firms involved in materials handling, transport and commercial vehicles, IT and technology solutions, warehousing operators, facilitators and service providers.

DWTC will also roll out its most extensive Hosted Buyer Programme, sponsored by Tetra Pak, at this year’s show. More than 2,000 of the region’s most prominent industrial buyers are attending the event, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service