Gulfood on the cusp of change

Gulfood has been very close to my heart. It is professionally managed and hosted by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). For more than 3 decades DWTC has been pivotal in connecting businesses with ideas and people.

I have had this wonderful opportunity to visit this event for five consecutive years. Now when Gulfood is seeing a change, I am happy to witness this first of its kind initiative in 26 years. With every passing year, I have seen this show become better and more prominent. It is easily one of the largest and most influential food and hospitality show in the world, running for 27years now.

Once an annual event, Gulfood from 2014 is two exclusive shows: GULFOOD & GULFOOD MANUFACTURING

– Gulfood is dedicated entirely to retail, hospitality, trade and foodservice industries. This edition of Gulfood brings price, quality and different services – all on one platform.
– Gulfood Manufacturing takes a centre stage for industrial producers and food processing industry. This year the show will be held from 9th to 11th November, 2014. Sun Impex will be part of Gulfood Manufacturing this year. This will be our 6th year of participation at the show.

Our team was elated when briefed about the change in the show’s profile. It’s a major change that comes after a span of 26 years. Right from the onset of the show till the very end, the momentum of the show was firmly upbeat. In its evolved version, Gulfood 2014 maximizes its reach and truly covers the entire ‘food service sector’. Innovative new features include – specialist conferences, high-ranking ministerial summits and pioneering B2B programs.

Gulfood 2014 at Dubai World Trade Centre

With the realignment, the show can now extend an additional space of 27,000m² for the local, regional and international exhibitors, as well as visitors. New national pavilions joined the event that enabled 10 new countries to participate in Gulfood. A total of 121 national pavilions were confirmed for February edition. However, few exhibitors seemed skeptic about the length of the show. It was increased from three to five days. According to them three days were sufficient, while other exhibitors seemed excited with the length and format of the show. There is no exception to the fact that every year, the number of attendees participating and visiting the show keeps increasing – it’s the impact of a high profile show. According to a report, the food imports for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are predicted to reach US $ 53.1 billion by 2020, with hospitality and tourism sector shining as ever. That’s where the appeal of Gulfood lies. Dubai’s strategic position enhances this further. Dubai, the city hosting this show for some 27 years is another marvel worth mentioning. It is in fact a gateway between the East and West and the re-export hub.

Rooted to my work in Dubai, I have seen this city transform like none other in the world. As long as I can recount, this city sprung just like an oasis, in the middle of the desert from a sluggish trading port to a thriving metropolis.

Dubai, along with events like Gulfood and as a host city for World Expo 2020 – is a place where business, culture and ethics amalgamate into wonderful opportunities. It’s a rare combination, I have seldom witnessed in other cities.