Gulfood kicks off with 5,500 exhibitors
Gulfood's 30th edition kicked off on Monday at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) welcoming tens of thousands of attendees and uniting 5500+ exhibitors from 129 countries.
The event also welcomed the world's foremost industry CEOs, policymakers, investors, and visionaries.
Under the theme 'The Next Frontier in Food,' the event anticipates $20 billion in trade deals and cutting-edge industry collaboration.
Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, will deliver the opening keynote on Day 2 at the inaugural Food500 Summit, addressing Gulfood's economic impact and the UAE's role as a global trade gateway.
The Food500 Summit brings industry leaders together to tackle pressing challenges and opportunities across the food value chain. Speakers include: Ananya Narayan, CEO - Hunter Foods; Dr Edwini Kessie, Director of the Agriculture and Commodities Division, World Trade Organization - Switzerland; Alvyn Severien, CEO, Montaigne Nutrition and Co-founder, Algama – France; Tisha Livingston, CEO, Infinite Acres – USA, leading global top trends expert - Daniel Levine, and many more.
Al Marri said: 'The selection of the food cluster as the first economic cluster to be developed by the UAE highlights the importance the country attaches to the sector as a key driver of economic diversification. The food cluster strategy aims to ensure self-sufficiency in food production and enhance the food ecosystem management through supporting agricultural enterprises and increasing local production. The initiative will not only help us meet local market needs but will also position the UAE as a leading food exporter to key regional and global markets and support the goals of the 'We the UAE 2031' vision, such as increasing the national GDP to AED3 trillion by the next decade.'
'Against this backdrop, the landmark edition of Gulfood will serve as an ideal platform for partnerships and discussions, presenting opportunities for knowledge exchange and networking across industries, thus fostering a foundation for setting and accomplishing future objectives within the global trade community,' he added.
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