Bahrain has taken a keen interest in showcasing its food and hospitality sector as 10 companies from the kingdom are participating in "Gulfood 2017", which is taking place in the Dubai World Trade Centre from February 26 to March 2.

The participating Bahraini companies are Trafco Group, Alkabaely for Food Industry, Awal Dairy, Chocolate and Co, Deeko Bahrain, Mak for Food Industry, the Food Supply Company, Bahrain Water Bottling Co, Bin Mahmood Holding and Qadooa Sweets (Bu Yousif Traditional Sweets).

Ahmed Al Hujairy, WorkSmart CEO - the company responsible for organizing the Bahraini pavilion at the exhibition- confirmed that the Bahraini participation aimed at strengthening national investment in this sector which values billions of dollars. It also aimed to provide broad areas of growth for the participants that lead to the acceleration of local and regional growth rates in the sector the supply, manufacture of food, beverages, canning and equipment for hotels, restaurants and others.

“Bahrain pavilion in Gulfood 2017 will enhance the presence of the Bahraini food industry along with 120 national pavilions including first-time participants from as far afield as Malta, Finland and Slovakia”. Hujairy said: “The show will also see hundreds of international heads of state, ministers, government officials and scores of national trade associations eager to ink lucrative bi-lateral trade agreements among tens of thousands of anticipated visitors. Gulfood 2017 will host more than 5,000 local, regional and international companies from 120 countries displaying hundreds of thousands of finished food and beverage products,” he added.

Gulfood in its 22nd edition has become the largest annual event for food trade and hospitality in the world, and the largest trade fair in the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia especially with the growing demands from the industry, supply and processing of global food companies,” the company pointed out.

In addition to its significantly expanded sourcing opportunities, one of Gulfood’s undisputed draws is the annual Emirates Culinary Guild International Salon Culinaire – the world’s largest single-entry chef competition. The Salon Culinaire will raise the profiles of more than 1,000 of the regions’ top professional chefs, pastry chefs, cooks and bakers for a series of competitions evaluated by a panel of renowned experts mandated by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) to judge culinary events across the globe.

Elsewhere, the eighth edition of the Gulfood Innovation Awards will recognise best-in-class excellence and innovation across the region’s food and drink industry. Divided into 20 categories, the highly-prestigious event is judged by an international panel of independent industry experts, with winners to be announced during the industry-renowned gala ceremony that is hosted alongside the exhibition. - TradeArabia News Service