The 3-day Gulfood Manufacturing (GM) 2015 opened on 27th October, attracting an estimated 1500 exhibitors (a 35% increase on last year) and over 30,000 visitors, most of whom were from overseas.
There has always been a substantial UK presence at GM and this year there were 36 UK companies exhibiting within the UK pavilion (as well as independent exhibitors).
UK companies were able to secure substantial contracts at this exhibition. For e.g. at GM we met with Heraeus, a UK manufacturer of infra-red units for industrial food processing, who are now supplying to IFFCO and Foodpoint, two large UAE food & drink companies.
Watershed Packaging, a UK exhibitor at GM, commissioned our Trade Advisory Service (TAS) and we were successful in arranging eight meetings for them. They had a great exhibition and are now planning to visit Dubai again in December to follow up with contacts we introduced them from Emirates Flight Catering, Mondelez International, Mohebi Logistics, Nestle and many more.
The BCB is now gearing up for Gulfood which begins on 21st February 2016. With more than 5,000 exhibitors participating from over 120 countries, Gulfood is the world’s biggest annual food & drink show. UAE’s food imports totaled US $3.6 billion in 2010 and are estimated to rise to US $5.5 billion in 2015. The majority of this is traded through Dubai.
We will be welcoming a trade mission from UK for Gulfood 2016, recruitment for which has now begun. The BCB will deliver a comprehensive programme for companies visiting Gulfood with this trade mission, which will help them to broaden their horizons and open doors and opportunities they may not be able to achieve by visiting alone.
Please get in touch if you would like to know more of our Gulfood programme, which includes a detailed briefing session and sector report, store visits, networking reception, meet the buyer event and much more.
