The Gulfood Awards will honour the innovations taking place in the food and drink industry; pictured here are 2015’s winners, selected by an independent jury.
The 2016 edition of Gulfood is set to welcome more than 5,000 international companies from 120 countries at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
Among the 85,000-plus visitors from more than 170 countries expected, Gulfood 2016 will host international heads of state, ministers, government officials and national trade associations from five continents.
With event and year-round legacy trading expected to run into billions of dollars, Gulfood 2016 will connect nations and suppliers, open distribution channels for industry-related business, and highlight Dubai’s strategic role as a key global food industry trading hub, on the lines of this year’s theme ‘More Tastes, More Trends and More Trade’.
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Led by the nation’s Ministry of Agriculture, Gulfood 2016 will also welcome its first Russian national pavilion — one of 117 national pavilions spanning in excess of 120,000m2 of multi-functional indoor exhibition space and two purpose-built, temporary structures spanning a 10,900m2 at DWTC. The expanded indoor exhibition space includes three new DWTC halls — Za’abeel 4, 5 and 6.
“Gulfood is internationally renowned for providing a trusted and accessible platform for the world’s food industry to meet, transact and trade out of Dubai — one of the world’s most diverse, energetic and vibrant trading hubs,” said Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president, exhibitions & events management, DWTC.
“As global food producers and traders establish new supply routes to reach customers and monetise opportunities in emerging markets, the heightened visitor experience will enable industry heavyweights to make strategic purchasing decisions with trusted suppliers, all while consolidating the UAE’s key role as a major trans-shipment destination for food products and hospitality equipment,” added LohMirmand.
The show-floor culinary demonstrations will peak at the annual Emirates Culinary Guild International Salon Culinaire — a showcase of the region’s best culinary talent and expertise. One of Gulfood’s undisputed draws for the regions’ top professional chefs, pastry chefs, cooks and bakers, this year’s Salon will see more than 1,300 professional chefs evaluated by a panel of 25 renowned experts, mandated by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) to judge culinary events across the globe. An in-depth report on this year’s Salon Culinaire is featured in sister publication Caterer Middle East.
With the number of F&B outlets in the UAE expected to double by 2020 when Dubai hopes to receive 20 million tourists as the emirate hosts Expo Dubai 2020 —food service and hospitality equipment is an expanded focus at Gulfood 2016.
Every year, thousands of F&B products and services debut at Gulfood and the seventh Gulfood Awards will recognise excellence of individuals and companies behind the region’s innovation in the food and drink industry. Judged by an international panel of independent industry experts, the Gulfood Awards will cover six categories and 10 accolades.
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