His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday visited the 25th edition of the Gulfood, which is hosted by the Dubai World Trade Center between February 16 and 20.

Sheikh Mohammed toured the galleries and hallways of the exhibition, which is among the largest, most famous and most important dedicated exhibitions in the region and the world.

During his tour, Sheikh Mohammed was briefed on the exhibits and products of government and private companies specialised in preparing, manufacturing and canning food and beverages. He was also briefed on the modern technologies used in these innovative and advanced processes aimed at preserving the nutritional value of foods and drinks and ensuring that these foods and drinks are safe and good for human consumption.

Welcomed by exhibitors and visitors, Sheikh Mohammed said he was happy about the participation of this huge number of local, Arab and global companies and entities in this great event. As many as 5,000 companies and entities representing around 160 countries including the UAE are participating in Gulfood.

Commenting on the importance and size of the exhibition and the number of participants, Sheikh Mohammed said: “The importance of Gulfood stems from the fact that it is concerned with human food, health and safety. Based on this, countries and governments in general and our state in particular are aware that food security is at the heart of the UAE’s strategy and should be protected. For this purpose, all the necessary measures and precautions should be taken and that is why I was keen on setting up a a food security ministry when I formed my recent government.”

Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied among others by Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Food Security, Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director General of HH The Dubai Ruler’s Court, Humaid Mohamed Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board and Director General of Dubai Health Authority, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director General of Dubai Protocol and Hospitality Department.

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, on sunday opened 25th edition of Gulfood 2020, the annual food and beverage (F&B), trade show at Dubai World Trade Centre.

An open invitation for F&B producers to demonstrate how they are ‘Rethinking Food’ to serve a global population that is set to race past eight billion by 2030, the five-day mega exhibition, which runs until Thursday 20th February, has attracted high-calibre interest from government ministers, trade delegations and national organisations.

The show highlights latest F&B innovations and explores exhaustive business opportunities as the global F&B sector seeks to keep pace with changing consumer habits and spiralling spending, which now stands at more than $7.2 trillion annually, according to the Gulfood 2020 Industry Outlook Report.

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised a networking event at its headquarters, on the sidelines of the 25th Gulfood exhibition, to highlight investment opportunities in the emirate’s F&B sector.

Atiq Juma Nasib, Senior Vice President of Commercial Services at Dubai Chamber, said: “Due to its strategic location and a growing tourism sector, Dubai offers immense opportunities in the F&B sector. This briefing comes at a time of rapid expansion for Dubai as the city prepares for Expo 2020.’’ Set to attract 25 million visitors over a six-month period, the upcoming mega event is among the key factors driving demand and growth in the UAE’s food and beverage sector. Onsite F&B sales alone are expected to top $545 million, according to EXPO 2020 and Alpen Capital, with up to 835,000 meals served to visitors each hour.

Meanwhile, Agthia Group on Monday announced the launch of Al Ain Plant Bottle, the region’s first plant-based water bottle, at a press conference on the sidelines of Gulfood 2020 during UAE Innovation Month, In the presence of Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment.

An MoU was also signed between Agthia and Veolia, a global leader in optimized resource management, to launch a PET water bottles collection initiative in the UAE, which includes the use of digital solutions, and various awareness programmes, along with incentive schemes and rewards.

Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi said: “We are proud of the role Emirati private businesses play in supporting our nationwide drive towards sustainability. We hope to see more businesses across all sectors with the same level of awareness and commitment to reducing their footprint to ensure that the UAE remains sustainable well into the future.”

He added: “Innovation is at the heart of the country’s transition to circular economy. The launch of Al Ain’s plant-based water bottle and Agthia’s other sustainability initiatives during the UAE Innovation Month is a prime example of how innovation can go a long way in driving environmental sustainability. I applaud Agthia for its strong commitment to integrating sustainability as a core value across its operations.”

Agencies