Sheikh Ahmed opens 27th edition of Gulfood; minister Al Mheiri calls for urgent steps to address global food challenge
Over 4,000 companies from 120 countries are participating at the event
Dubai: The 27th edition of Gulfood was inaugurated by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, on Sunday.
Gulfood, the world’s largest food and beverage sourcing event, will see over 4,000 companies from 120 countries, a line-up of industry leading speakers, and the world’s best chefs chart the way forward for an industry in the midst of rapid transformation.
Also present at the event was Mariam Al Mheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, who opened the all-new Gulfood Inspire session, which featured a diverse range of speakers, including F&B executives, ministers, policymakers, retail executives, technologists, agriculturists, analysts, and futurists.
Gulfood 2022 has opened with its most expansive exhibitor line-up yet 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, whether new or long-term exhibitors, are eager to unpack the raft of opportunities Gulfood will present 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.
Gulfood YouthX to debut
Gulfood YouthX, a brand new platform, will debut this week, aimed at empowering youth and fuelling the food and beverage industry’s future. The inaugural event will help young Emirati talent turn their passion into a high-flying career, with the chance to learn from renowned chefs who will provide hands-on learning experiences in live kitchens.
The YouthX cooking contest will see local talent go head-to-head, with the winner landing a life-changing experience in one of Hilton Europe’s dining destinations this summer, while the runner-up will receive a 25 per cent scholarship to Dubai College of Tourism’s Culinary Arts Programme.
An “urgent” task
The world has an ‘urgent’ task to transform food systems for a sustainable future and ensure everyone on the planet has access to safe, adequate, and affordable food. That was the message from minister Al Mheiri in her opening keynote address at the Gulfood Inspire summit on the first day of Gulfood.
Almost 811 million people are facing hunger, with one in three people on earth denied access to adequate food due to conflict, climate change and the impact of the global pandemic, she said at the summit citing statistics.
Calling for action, the minister said the process to address this increasing challenge must be inclusive, innovative, and data-driven to help inform policies that boost food supply and eradicate food insecurity.