Ingredients Middle East attracts 1,732 regional buyers

The inaugural Ingredients
Middle East 2008 exhibition, which ran last week, took place at a vital
time for the industry said exhibitors and visitors from around the
world. According to trade professionals attending the event, the show
was the ideal platform for both local and international companies to
form strategic alliances with key industry leaders and contribute to
the region’s fast-growing food manufacturing industry.

Ingredients
Middle East attracted 1,732 regional buyers particularly from Kuwait,
Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as international guests from
China, Germany, India, Malaysia and Turkey.

Interest in the show
was further stimulated by the announcement of the co-location of the
2009 edition of Ingredients Middle East with Gulfood. In bringing
together the food and hospitality industry including Restaurant &
Café Middle East and with the more industrial components such as
ingredients, packaging, processing and labelling, the events will form
the definitive trade platform and deliver a unique global offering.

“The
first-ever Ingredients Middle East was a very good show and the
exhibitors were happy with the sales leads and deals made during the
three-day event. The exhibition supplied companies with a new
networking platform to help them to expand their businesses to the
Middle East region. With many exhibitors already signed up for next
year combined with the co-location with Gulfood, we expect that the
interest in the next event will be significantly higher said Joanne
Cook, Industry Group Manager, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

Organised
by DWTC, Ingredients Middle East exhibition, welcomed 100 participating
companies from 18 countries showcasing the latest raw materials and
ingredients used in the food, halal food, beverage and health food
industry.

Fortitech, the world leader in fortification
technology and custom nutrient premix development, is looking to be
back next year. “As the first show, it seems reasonably large and
overall it was very good. We also noticed that all the companies that
we see in other worldwide events are here at the show. Co-locating
Ingredients Middle East with Gulfood next year is a very good idea and
will bring this show to another level. We look forward to participating
again next year,” said Nicolas Touillon, Director of Sales, Fortitech
Europe ApS.

Griffith Laboratories, a global food ingredients
manufacturer said that the company plans to take two stands next year,
one at Gulfood and the other at Ingredients Middle East, to fully
benefit from the unique offering of having both shows run alongside
each other.

Shyam Mohan, Middle East and India Managing Director
of Griffith Laboratories, said: “Ingredients Middle East has been a
great success for us. We find that the event was very focused, which is
great for exhibitors like us who liaise specifically with trade
professionals. Next year we plan to get two stands, one at Gulfood and
another at Ingredients Middle East.”

The 2nd edition of
Ingredients Middle East will run alongside the 14th Gulfood Exhibition
to be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre
and Airport Expo from 23-26 February 2009.Gulfood and Ingredients
Middle East are strictly trade-only events open to business and trade
visitors from within the industry only.