Food and beverages sector standing firm in the face of adversities
Dubai Chamber director general lauds the efforts of the F&B groups at networking luncheon hosted on the sidelines of Gulfood 2009
Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry hosted a networking luncheon today (Tuesday) at the Monarch Hotel in honour of its members from the Dubai Food and Beverage, Vegetable and Foodstuff trading business groups and regional and global delegates from 76 countries attending the 14th edition of the Gulfood 2009 exhibition.
The networking lunch that came in line with Dubai Chamber’s mission of creating a favourable business environment provided key players within the food and beverage sector an ideal platform to meet not only local companies but also an impressive contingency of international companies interested in forging new contacts and pursuing serious business opportunities.
In his welcome speech, HE Eng Hamad Buamim, Director General, Dubai Chamber, informed that a large percentage of the Chamber’s members belonged to the food and beverage manufacturing sector which is playing a strategic role in the country’s economic map. “Despite competition from the regional and local competitors, the Food and Beverage sector has been doing extremely well. Commendably, in the wake of the dwindling food reserves, poor harvest, rising global food prices and the general global financial crisis, this particular sector in the Middle East has been standing firm in the face of adversities,” he said.
Buamim pointed out that the GCC is the biggest importer of food products in the region as 90% of food items here are imported and despite the global challenges facing the international markets, the Middle East remains one of the fastest growing trading centers in the world. “Food suppliers worldwide are aware the region is witnessing a surge in population with increasingly
discerning tastes, purchasing power and a robust hospitality sector,” he said adding, “With imports in the GCC region reaching US $12 billion annually, Gulfood provides a unique global platform for those in the foodservice and hospitality industries to meet with, and establish, business contacts with decision makers and influencers from across the Middle East and GCC region.”
Added Buamim, “As part of Dubai Chamber’s strategic mission of promoting Dubai as a regional and international business hub, this networking event offers the opportunity to establish new business alliances across the Middle East and GCC region while the exhibition will enable the participants to learn more about the latest developments in the fields of food production and processing worldwide as it provides an in-depth analysis of key aspects of the food industry.”
Richard Hall, Chairman of Zenith International Ltd, specialist consultants to the beverage industry worldwide, gave presentation on the progress of the beverage industry down the years as it concentrated on providing value and extra value to consumers. He informed that the trend now is to produce beverages in line with health and environmental issues.
Omar Hijazi, CEO of Tejari, said that the networking event can be used for promoting trading ties between Dubai-based businessmen and their regional counterparts. He also called upon the members of the food and beverage business groups to make use of the Dubai Chamber-Tejari initiative of the dubaibizmatch.com, an exclusive online B2B platform designed to facilitate online trade between registered companies in Dubai Chamber and 45 different business sectors including food and beverages worldwide.
