Overseas trade missions
Australia’ s almond marketers have kicked off 2026 with two significant overseas trade missions in January. ABA’ s Trade Engagement Manager Tom Cooper attended India’ s Nuts and Dried Fruit Council event called MEWA and Gulfood in Dubai and compiled this report.
MARKETING & TRADE
showcase Australian almonds
MEWA, January 22-25
MEWA was attended by representatives from the Australian almond industry, including Tim Jackson and Tom Cooper( Australian Almonds), Ekrem Omer, Aashay Chavan and David Surveyor( Select Harvests), Ben Fessey and Damien Houlahan( OFI), Jack Loh and David Armstrong( Murray Downs), Mark Williamson( NPA), and Paul Stewart and Brenton Woolston( Almondco). The event was held in Delhi at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, following the previous edition in Mumbai. With Delhi hosting once again, there was a strong emphasis on delivering a high-quality event. Both the cricket match held prior to MEWA and the trade exhibition itself were exceptionally well organised and well received. The trade hall was significantly larger than in previous years, hosting more than 300 exhibitors from over 30 countries and attracting in excess of 10,000 industry professionals across the two-and-a-half-day event. As part of the MEWA Premier League, the annual Almond Ashes cricket match was held, with India narrowly defeating Australia to reclaim the title, which Australia had held since the Mildura event last year. The earlier timing of MEWA compared to previous years presented challenges for processors, with limited availability of product from the current crop and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the upcoming harvest. Despite these constraints, interest in Australian almonds remained strong. A high volume of meetings was held with existing customers, alongside substantial interest from
Sumit Saran and the team from SS Associates helped promote Australian Almonds at MEWA.
Nut Producers Australia’ s Mark Williamson, Murray Downs Almonds’ David Armstrong, Select Harvests David Surveyor, OFI ' s Ben Fessey and Damien Houlahan, and Almondco’ s Paul Stewart at Gulfood.
potential buyers seeking to purchase Australian almonds for the first time. One of the highlights of the event was the launch of a dedicated Australian Almonds microsite for India, bringing together some of India’ s leading chefs to showcase the versatility and nutritional benefits of Australian almonds. Moving beyond traditional sweets, the platform reimagines Australian almonds through more than 50 innovative recipes spanning appetisers, soups, salads, main courses and desserts. The launch featured Manjit Gill, a senior chef from the Federation of Indian Culinary Associations, alongside Dhruv Oberoi, Head Chef of Olive Bar & Kitchen, who conducted a live cooking demonstration for attendees to observe, sample and engage with. The event was packed with young key food writers, bloggers and influencers, many of whom shared live content with their audiences, significantly amplifying reach and engagement across digital platforms. To further support the initiative, an Australian Almonds health and nutrition booklet was developed in consultation with Dr Madhu Sharma, a microbiologist, educator and researcher with over 25 years’ experience in medicine and microbiology. The booklet highlights the role of Australian almonds in supporting a healthy and active lifestyle, reinforcing the broader messaging around nutrition, versatility and everyday consumption.
industry. australianalmonds. com. au
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