Argyll seafood showcased at Dubai Gulfood expo
Top quality seafood from Argyll was front and centre this week at an international food showcase in the Middle East.
Trade marketing body Seafood Scotland attended the Gulfood event for the first time in two years, following the relaxation of Covid pandemic restrictions.
The team has been in Dubai to attend the exhibition, which kick-starts a number of activities in the region to spread the word about the superb qualities of Scottish seafood.
Beginning on Sunday February 13, Gulfood brought together the best of the food and beverage sectors with more than 4,000 companies from over 120 countries attending.
Representatives from Seafood Scotland also attended the Showcasing Scotland event, which took place at the Expo 2020 site on Tuesday February 15, joined by Scottish seafood businesses – and a piper to add some colour – to share a taste of what is on offer.
On the menu was a selection of Scotland’s best seafood including fresh and smoked salmon, langoustines, oysters, scallops and brown crab provided by Loch Fyne Oysters, Loch Fyne Seafarms, Mowi and The Scottish Salmon Company.
‘Gulfood has always kicked off our trade show calendar and we are thrilled to be in Middle East again,’ said Natalie Bell, head of trade marketing at Seafood Scotland.
‘A recent report from The Arab Organisation for Agricultural Development showed that UAE residents eat nearly twice the amount of fish than the world average.
‘With seafood clearly a popular choice in the region, we are looking forward to spreading the word about the fantastic choice of quality species our country offers.’
Seafood Scotland’s Matthew Hurst joined the team in the UAE with a focus on Scottish langoustines, meeting buyers across the region to gauge interest in this premium shellfish which is so in demand.
His findings will inform The Scottish Nephrops Working Group which is spearheading a drive to position Scottish langoustines as the number one choice globally.
Natalie added: ‘Matthew’s specialist knowledge about langoustines and the opportunities for buyers in the Middle East will add a further dimension to the Scottish seafood story and reinforce the superb quality of our fish and shellfish.’
Seafood Scotland was set up in 1999 to increase value of return to the Scottish seafood sector.
Operating worldwide, Seafood Scotland is a non-political organisation which works with government agencies to promote the wealth of Scottish seafood to a global trade market, acting as a conduit between national markets and the Scottish seafood sector.