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Ahmed Bin Saeed opens Gulfood 2022

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA), today opened the 27th Gulfood Exhibition, the world’s largest food and beverage procurement event, at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed toured the exhibition accompanied by HE Mariam Al Mheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and HE Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai World Trade Centre Authority. The fair, which takes place from 13-17 February, will showcase innovative solutions to meet new trends and rapidly changing consumer habits, explore the sector’s challenges, develop an agenda and strike trade deals to change the future for the better.

More than 4,000 companies from 120 countries, leading speakers and the world’s top chefs will outline ways to develop an industry in rapid transformation. Attendees will be able to meet buyers seeking orders for the latest and industry-defining products, while exhibitors will be looking to attract customers looking to fill their order books at this year’s first global F&B meeting.

HE Mariam Al Mheiri, UAE Minister for Climate Change and Environment, opened the brand new, action-oriented Gulfood Inspire session with a variety of speakers including F&B executives, ministers, policy makers, retail executives, technologists, agronomists, analysts and futurists, all of whom presented invaluable ideas, industry knowledge and ways forward for the industry.

Gulfood 2022 opened with the most extensive line-up of participants, including new pavilions from the Norwegian seafood industry, Uruguay, Panama and Uzbekistan, who will be joined by newcomers from Australia, Colombia, South Africa, Switzerland and Hong Kong.

Participants, both newcomers and long-standing exhibitors, are looking forward to discovering the plethora of opportunities that Gulfood will unveil this week.

France has renewed its participation with 69 companies bringing the best of French F&B to the region – led by Business France, the government agency that supports companies in export and expansion projects.

With the aim of networking, creating and changing for a better future, this week began with the landmark launch of Gulfood Zero Waste, a new movement to create a sustainable event and inspire people in the food business as well as food lovers to take action.

The five-day event will collect food from exhibitors and cooking stations and go to compost production in partnership with The Waste Lab, an impact-focused start-up that aims to create an opportunity for every food scrap to become a solution rather than a burden.

This week’s special event will recognise waste-free champions for the best integrated solutions to the global F&B problem.

Meanwhile, the popular Gulfood Innovation Awards witnessed another exceptional year, attracting meaningful, game-changing breakthroughs that will propel the industry forward. Winners in eight categories, from sustainable packaging and plant-based health and wellness innovations to the most innovative frozen and refrigerated foods, will be announced on Monday 14 February.

Alongside the show, for the first time the event will feature the Gulfood Top Table, which will take the culinary experience to new heights through a series of live demonstrations and masterclasses from a stellar line-up of award-winning chefs and food industry influencers. During the event, up to 70 chefs from 50 restaurants will prepare more than 1,000 unique dishes, bringing together media representatives, innovators and global trendsetters in a masterclass.

Gulfood YouthX, a brand new platform, will debut this week aimed at empowering young people and securing the future of the food and beverage industry. The inaugural event will help young Emirati talent turn their passion into a high-flying career by giving them the opportunity to learn from renowned chefs who will provide hands-on training in a live kitchen.

The YouthX culinary competition will see local talent compete against each other, with the winner getting the chance to experience a life-changing experience at one of Hilton Europe’s restaurants this summer, and the winner receiving a 25% scholarship to Dubai College of Tourism’s culinary arts programme.

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