The key issues and global trends impacting the food, beverage and hospitality sectors will be highlighted during the SIAL Middle East 2015, to be held next month, in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The event will host a line-up of four focused summits scheduled for the three-day event which kicks off on December 7, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
SIAL Middle East is part of SIAL Group, the world’s largest network of professional business-to-business (B2B) food exhibitions.
The event will be held under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and chairman of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA); and with the strategic partnership of the authority.
The summits will provide expert insight from regional and international leaders who will share groundbreaking and innovative approaches, technologies, ingredients and business models across the entire food supply chain, said a statement.
According to the Food Export Association of the Midwest, US exports of consumer food products, including cheese, table condiments, backed snack foods, butter, chocolate, French fries and ice cream, rose 7 per cent in 2014 and totaled over $1.8 billion.
The UAE accounts for 40.5 per cent of the region’s total US consumer food imports, making it the second largest market in the region, behind Saudi Arabia, said the statement.
Ali Yousef Al Saad, chairman of the organising committee for SIAL 2015 and acting director of communications and community service division at ADFCA, said: “The perceived high quality of US imported consumer food products and the brand recognition has resulted in an extremely receptive audience in the region. High per capita income and an increase in the number of tourists, registering high brand recognition, are further driving demand.”
“SIAL 2015 will discuss strategy and approaches for local food suppliers to redress this trend,” he said.
The event will open with the World Food Innovation Summit on December 7. Over 500 delegates will participate in forums dedicated to underscoring solutions and innovations to the global challenges facing the food industry including waste reduction, hunger relief and sustainable technologies.
The hospitality sector will also have its own dedicated forum for discussion with the Hotels & Restaurants Summit taking place on day two of the event (December 8). The agenda will cover a wide range of topics including opportunities for homegrown UAE brands on the local and regional food scene with firsthand input from Scott Price and Nick Alvis of Taste Kitchen, and Tom Arnold and Sergio Lopez from Bull and Roo Hospitality and Investments.
Other notable sessions include an international keynote delivery from Jens Bleiel, CEO Food for Health Ireland, University College Dublin, who will talk about the necessity of innovation in the food industry and insight into the future of sustainable food consumption and organic trends by Monique Marez, associate director, International Trade, Organic Trade Association (OTA).
New this year will be five 30-minute sessions tackling critical issues in onboard hospitality will be addressed in the Mass & Airline Catering Summit.
Speakers from behind-the-scenes in the airline industry include Jeremy Clark, airline catering and onboard services consultant, JC Consulting; Dorothy Burton, business development food manager, DHL specialist services, International Flight Centre; and Mandy Saven, head of food, beverage and hospitality, Stylus.
Rounding out the three days of discussion, the focus will be on Food Retail and Import/Export with expert insight from Stuart Walton, co-owner of Creative Culinary Concepts Dubai and Love Food Dubai, it said.
Major buyers chains will also get their turn in the spotlight with insider comment from Spinneys CEO, Johannes Holtzhausen, followed by a fascinating case study session on Galeries Lafayette Gourmet, and its successful food retail journey thus far.
The event will be supported by host sponsor, Abu Dhabi Chamber; headline sponsor, Al Dahra Agriculture; diamond sponsor, Jenaan Investments; platinum sponsor, Agthia; and retail partner, Lulu, it added.
Congratulation!