Singapore
Singapore hosted 48 companies at its largest ever Gulfood pavilion, as the country attempts to build upon its strong trade relations with the GCC markets. This relationship was formalised last year when Singapore became the first non-Middle East country to sign a free trade agreement with the GCC nations, which International Enterprise Singapore claims is something that gives the country’s F&B suppliers a real advantage in the Middle East.

Speaking to Caterer Middle East, International Enterprise Singapore food division director Audrey Tan said: “This agreement means that 95% of the products made in Singapore will be exempt from an import tariff, which I believe averages around 5%. This will make us more attractive to importers and distributors in the Middle East, and allow Singaporean food and beverage companies to be much more competitive.”

Also at the pavilion were chefs Lawrence Toon and Samson Lin from the Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (SHATEC), who cooked a selection of Singaporean dishes at the stand’s pop-up dining experience.

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“Singapore’s culinary landscape is renowned for its delicious street food, innovative restaurant concepts and exquisite fine dining experiences. The pop-up café, launched for the first time at Gulfood, provides visitors with a taste of our authentic Asian flavours and showcases the iconic dishes that Singapore has to offer,” said Lester Lu, regional director for International Enterprise (IE) Singapore in Dubai.

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