UAE’S f&B industry rich with opportunities, exhibitors say
dubai — The UAE’s position as a gateway to the rest of the GCC, and the growing demand of its population for specific food and beverage products from around the world, make it a very important market for food companies, exhibitors at Gulfood 2017 noted.
Lesley Griffiths, Welsh Government Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, noted that Welsh exports to the UAE were worth £74 million (Dh332.6 million) in the year to the third quarter of 2016, making it Wales’ 21st-largest export market.
“From 2013 to 2016, we have seen an increase of 26 per cent in exports to the Middle East,” she told Khaleej Times. “Gulfood is a very important event for us to come to, and many of the producers that are here have been exhibiting for the past four or five years. For them, as well as the new exhibitors, the event is an important platform to showcase their products and reach out to retailers in new markets. In addition to partners in the UAE, we have access to other markets in the GCC with the UAE acting as a hub.”
The Wales pavilion at the exhibition had over 20 companies exhibiting their products, and products have been well-received in the UAE. “It is important for us to look for new markets now post-Brexit, especially since 90 per cent of Welsh food and beverages are for export purposes to the European Union. It’s a bit too soon to say what any future trade deal is going to look like, but we are part of the current trade negotiations, and only time will tell. We have a target of growing our Welsh food and drink by 30 per cent by 2020 and that equates to £7 billion; right now we are at about £6.1 billion.”
Guenter Rauer, Consul-General of Germany, also highlighted the UAE’s importance in the Middle East market.
“The visit of Christian Schmidt, the German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, to Gulfood 2017 underlines the importance of this exhibition for the German food and beverage export sector. With a trade volume of €15.6 billion (Dh60.5 billion) to the UAE in 2015, including approximately €400 million of agricultural and alimentation export products, the UAE is Germany’s most important trading partner in the Mena region. This year’s Gulfood sees a record participation of 79 German exhibitors, underlining how indispensable this exhibition is in the Federal German Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s official programme of global trade participation.”
Similarly, Sharif Chacoff, Trade Commissioner of Chile – ProChile, said that several Chilean companies had been exhibiting at Guldfood for the past 10 years. “Many companies noted that the UAE was the best entrance for them into the Middle East market. After 2008, more and more companies expressed an interest in being present at Gulfood, and this year, we have 17 different companies taking part at the exhibition.”
Chacoff revealed that Chile is one of the world’s largest exporters of salmon, prawns and dehydrated
It is important for us to look for new markets now post-Brexit, especially since 90% of Welsh food and beverages are for export purposes to the EU Lesley Griffiths, Welsh Government Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs
fruits, among other products. In addition, he also said that the country was interested in highlighting its organic honey, of which 90 per cent is produced in Chile’s native forests; as well as its wide selection of organic juices. The demand for healthy and organic products in the UAE, he noted was on an upward trend, and this presented many Chilean companies with a wealth of opportunities.
“We are focused on diversifying our portfolio of products, as well as increasing our market share in the GCC countries. In addition to the UAE, we are focusing on Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain as well.
Hassan Debbarh, CEO of Cartier Saada, which is exhibiting as part of the Moroccan pavilion, also talked about the country’s good trade relations with the UAE and the GCC region. “We still see plenty of opportunities for Moroccan food and beverage companies to expand their presence in the region. A lot of Moroccan foodstuffs like canned sardines, sweets and vegetables are already present in outlets in the UAE and have been well received by consumers.”
“Right now, the bulk of our food exports go to Europe, but it is important for us to look for new markets, especially here in the UAE which acts as a gateway to many other markets,” he added.