As the exclusive official publication of Gulfood 2015, Caterer Middle East reviews the latest news, trends and product launches from the 20th edition of the exhibition in Dubai, UAE

The 20th edition of Gulfood took place in Dubai from February 8-12, and saw a number new products and launches at the Dubai World Trade Centre. As always, the show was privy to investment plans and futures being mapped out for the region’s foodservice industry.

Here is our detailed report:

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Growth in Regional F&B
With the growth in the food and beverage sector in the region, various companies took to Gulfood to announce their expansion plans and entry into new countries in the market.

One of these companies is Aujan Coca-Cola Beverages Company (ACCBC) , which revealed that it will invest US $500 million in the beverage industry in the next three years. The cash injection will include a series of capacity improvements, innovations to packaging and consumer occasions, as well as IT upgrades.

Nicolaas Nusmeier, chief executive officer of ACCBC, said: “Robust expansion plans will enable ACCBC to realise the vision of its shareholders across the Middle East and North Africa.

“We already have a portfolio of strong brands, and an excellent track record as a regional beverage operator. Major investments in capacity, geographical coverage, and brand development will allow us to capitalise on the growth potential for the beverage industry in the MENA region.

“Despite political and economic disruption over the past few years, the regional beverage market has continued to grow, and we expect this to continue. For ACCBC, an increasingly youthful population across MENA, together with opportunities for new categories and fresh consumer-focused innovations mean significant growth prospects.

“ACCBC is putting in place a strategy to become one of the biggest beverage operators in the region, growing from a company within a single category and a limited geography into a total beverage, multi-country, powerhouse.”

In 2014, ACCBC delivered double-digit volume growth and completed the acquisition of a majority stake in the National Beverage Company S.A.L (NBC), the manufacturer and distributor of Coca-Cola in Lebanon. In addition to this, ACCBC last year confirmed plans to open a factory in Egypt to supply its brands to the Egyptian market, with expansion potential across Africa.

In Algeria, the volume of ACCBC’s flagship brand Rani has grown more than 300% in the last four years. ACCBC is the authorised manufacturer and distributor of the Rani and Barbican brands, as well as the licensed manufacturer in the Middle East for Vimto.

Similarly capitalising on the increased demand in the market, UAE-based baking company Bakemart will be opening a new production facility in Dubai Industrial City, the company’s managing director TK Khaleel told Caterer Middle East.

The new facility will add to Bakemart’s current production plant in International Media Production Zone, which produces over 300,000 units of bread, pastries, and other baked goods on a daily basis. The production capacity at the new factory will double the company’s existing output.

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