Inaugural Gulfood awards launched

 

Gulfood, the region’s largest and most important industry event of
the year, has tied up with FoodBev Media to launch the inaugural
‘Gulfood Awards’ designed to reward and champion innovation and
excellence.

The awards will celebrate the people and companies behind the
region’s exceptional food and drink industry with 21 categories
including best food and drink brands, services and suppliers.

“The meteoric growth in the foodservice market is evident at
Gulfood, now one of the world’s leading exhibitions and the biggest
food and hospitality event in the Mena and South Asiaa region,” said
Mark Napier, director, Exhibitions & Events at Dubai World Trade
Centre (DWTC), event organiser.

“With more than 3,500 companies participating at the 2010 event and
over 45,000 visitors expected, we felt it was high time the people,
brands and companies driving innovation and quality were recognised for
the contribution they have made to the region’s international
reputation for excellent food and beverages.”

“We are looking forward to working with FoodBev Media to bring these awards to the industry,” he added.

Entries are open to products and initiatives launched since 1 March
2009 and will be judged by an international panel of independent
industry experts who will announce the winners at a special awards
ceremony and reception during the Gulfood expo to be held from February
21 to 24 in Dubai.

The categories include: Best new non-alcoholic beverage • Best new
functional food or drink • Best newcomer brand or business • Best new
Halal food • Best new health food or beverage ingredient • Best health
education initiative • Best packaging innovation – food • Best
packaging innovation – beverages • ‘The Gulfood Barista Award’ – in
association with Restaurant & Café Middle East • Best foodservice
product innovation • Best foodservice technical innovation and Best
environmental initiative.

“Gulfood is the premier event for food and drink innovation in the
region and these awards recognise and celebrate the best new ideas on a
world stage,” commented Richard Hall, chairman of FoodBev Media.

“The winners will have played an important role in helping build a
market valued at $10 billion in 2009 in GCC food imports alone,” she
added.-TradeArabia News Service