Global Food Trends to be addressed at Inaugural Gulfood Conference

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• Industry Leaders Offer Insights to Drive Bigger Better Business Opportunities during Gulfood 2010

 
In an industry as fast-paced and competitive as the food and beverage sector, knowledge exchange and keeping abreast of market trends is critical.
 
And in response to overwhelming demand, Gulfood, the region’s largest trade exhibition for food, drink, food service and hospitality equipment, is launching the inaugural Gulfood Conference during this year’s exhibition.
 
The Conference, titled ‘Global Trends in Food, Beverage and Processing’, will run alongside Gulfood, which takes place from 21 – 24 February 2010 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC).
 
The four-day conference and knowledge exchange forum will offer delegates unprecedented access to the experts, analysts and visionaries who are shaping the business and developing the marketing strategies that will lead food, beverage and hospitality businesses into the next decade. 
 
“In addition to being the most important trade exhibition in the region for the food, beverage and hospitality industry which showcases the latest products, services and technological breakthroughs, the Gulfood Conference has enormous value for companies who want to meet and learn from the experts, business leaders and the market analysts,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organiser of Gulfood. “Not only will the Gulfood Conference provide valuable industry insight to allow companies to build a more profitable business, it will also offer practical tools for invigorating, expanding and launching new business channels.”
 
The intensive, information-packed agenda will cover topical issues facing all sectors of the industry, including global trends in foods, regulatory legislation, globalisation, regional expansion opportunities, sustainability, flavours and consumer behaviours, scientific advances in food technology and innovations in packaging.
 
Keynote speaker Saed Al Awadi, CEO of Dubai Export Development Corporation, will open the conference and highlight Dubai’s credentials and the business opportunities that are abound in the region.
 
“Dubai has a proven track record as an international manufacturing, services and trading hub – especially in the food and beverage sector where companies from the emirate export to over 130 countries,” said Mr. Al Awadi. “We are delighted to be able to assist companies looking to enter new and exciting export markets and capitalise upon Dubai's infrastructure advantages to capture regional business.”
 
Estimated to be worth more than US$ 650 billion by 2010 by the World Halal Forum, the global halal food industry is a major business. Alex Andarakis, CEO of Al Islami Foods, pioneers and leaders in the GCC’s processed halal food market, will provide a detailed overview of the global halal landscape, the responsibilities and opportunities for companies operating in this domain and will also outline a practical roadmap for realising revenue in this rapidly expanding market.
 
Issues heading the agenda at government level around the world are also scheduled to receive air-time at the Gulfood Conference, with Sudhakar Tomar, a noted agriculture industry expert and the chairperson of the World Pulses Organisation tackling the thought-provoking topic ‘Understanding the Global Food Crisis: How Do we Feed the Next Generation?’ With the global population expected to grow by 50% to 9 billion by 2050, and the current world supply of food, water and energy already falling short, Tomar will outline the social, economic and political consequences of this issue. He will also present a number of interesting measures businesses can implement to help tackle the global food crisis.
 
Other global issues to be discussed include successful franchising, the health and wellness industry, the future of food fortification, innovation in food packaging, global trends in both raw materials and finished goods and what flavours will appeal to the next generation. 
 
With practical case study experience and step-by-step advice on cost reduction, process management and profit generation, the Gulfood Conference has been designed to provide industry professionals with precisely the information they require to steer their businesses through unsettled or even uncharted territory.  
 
Other leading speakers include: Djamal Djouhri, Vice President, Al Ghurair Commodities; John Brash, Founder & CEO, Brash FZ LLC; Elizabeth Martins, Head of MENA, Business Monitor International; Rob O’Hanlon, Partner, Deloitte & Touche; Alexander Smertz, Global Head of Product Management, Doehler; Ewa Hudson, Head of Health & Wellness Foods & Beverages Research, Euromonitor; Dr. Jochen Zoller, President of Food Services, Intertek; Dr Philippe Fouler, Market Development Manager, Middle East & Latin America, Roquette and Daniel During, Managing Partner, Thomas Klein International.
 
Gulfood is strictly a trade-only event and is open to business and trade visitors from within the industry only. Conference sessions cost just AED 300 per session if booked onsite, but delegates can register for the Gulfood Conference now and save more than 30% by visiting www.gulfood.com/business. Delegates will also receive free entry into the exhibition.
 
Industry business professionals on the day of the show will be able to buy either a Day Pass for AED 60, or a Four Day Pass for AED 120 for Gulfood. The exhibition is open from 11am – 7pm Sunday 21 February 2010 to Wednesday 24 February 2010 and from 11am – 5pm on Thursday 25 February 2010.
 
For more information, please visit www.gulfood.com.
 

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