FOOD BUSINESS GULF & ME Jan-march 2018 | Page 35

GULFOOD PREVIEW 33 GULFOOD 2018 MEGA SHOW TO CONSOLIDATE UAE'S LEAD ROLE IN GLOBAL FOOD AGENDA T he 2018 edition of Gulfood, the world's largest annual food and beverage trade event and the first major international food industry trade show of the year, will further strengthen the UAE's lead role in setting the global food agenda, according to the exhibition organisers, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). Citing the long-established reputation of Gulfood as a key driver in fostering innovation across the local, regional and global food and beverage supply chain, DWTC officials revealed on-site sales generated by 95,000-plus buyers and visitors at Gulfood 2018 - which runs from 18-22 February - will contribute heavily to a global food market expected to generate revenues of USD3.03 trillion by 2020, according to Research and Markets, a Dublin- based market research company. With the global food market due to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5 per cent from 2015 to 2020, the UAE food and beverage market alone is anticipated to reach a valuation of AED82 Billion (USD22 billion) by the end of the decade, according to Euromonitor International. “In attracting the Middle East's largest trade industry audience, generating huge transactional volumes every year on the show floor, and setting global foodstuff commodity prices, Gulfood is the region's premier food and beverage industry platform - it underlines Dubai's leading role in the global food sector,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice President, Exhibitions & Events, DWTC. “With regional investment in food production on the rise, international manufacturers see the Middle JANUARY - MARCH 2018 FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST