Dubai – Challenges concerning regional food security, ensuring sustainable food supplies, the future of the halal food industry, the role of Free Zones in facilitating food manufacturing growth and various cutting-edge innovations relating to food processing, packaging and machinery best practices will be discussed by a high-calibre cadre of influential food and beverage industry specialists at next week’s Food & Beverage Industrial Investment Summit.
A core feature of the inaugural Gulfood Manufacturing – the region’s only dedicated F&B processing exhibition which is running November 9-11 at Dubai World Trade Centre ( DWTC ) – the Summit is a strategic investment event bringing together overseas investors and multinational corporations exploring economic, market and manufacturing opportunities in the show’s catchment footprint of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA).
Delivered over two days, the Summit will encompass insightful keynote presentations, multi-speaker discussions and case studies to provide attendees with a better understanding of the financial, legal, logistics, cold chain and technology benefits of locating or expanding existing operations in the region.
“The rapid growth in the region’s food processing industry reflects a market where food demand far outstrips supply. The issues driving the increase in regional food production – rapid population growth, food security concerns, economic diversification and booming foodservice and hospitality sectors – are not going away,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice President, Exhibitions & Events Management, DWTC , the event organiser.
“With a superb speaker line-up of global experts, regional authorities and manufacturers with global insights, the Food & Beverage Industrial Investment Summit is a tailored platform for food manufacturing companies of all shapes and sizes to tap into a deep well of resources and discover investment strategies that will further develop their production capabilities and regional operating knowledge.”
The Summit’s first day (Monday 9 November) will feature seven sessions from 11am to 4.30pm linked to the principal topic: ‘Economic and Investment Outlook for the Food Manufacturing Industry’. Following opening remarks delivered by moderator, Ashraf Mahate, Head of Export Market Intelligence, Dubai Exports , the Summit’s first keynote address will see Saed Al Awadi, CEO, Dubai Exports , focus on policies regional governments can adopt to secure sustainable food supplies by increasing regional production and reducing the reliance on imports.
Food security will remain top of the Summit agenda when a five-person keynote panel debates methods to drive stakeholder alignment, the drive to improve sustainable outsourced agriculture and inherent challenges relating to food imports and price volatility. The panel will comprise Dr. Saad A. Khalil Essa, Director, King Abdullah Initiative for Agricultural Investment Abroad, Ministry of Agriculture – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Cyrille Fabre, Partner, Bain & Co.; Vishal Tikku, Vice President and Area Director Middle East, Mondelez International; Amar Zahid, President, Greater Middle East & Africa, Tetra Pak , and Rushdi Siddiqui, CEO, Zilzar.
Other day one sessions include ‘Transforming Halal Agro Food into an Asset Class’ with Zilzar’s Siddiqui; ‘Home Grown Concepts Transforming the F&B Business in the UAE’ with Salem Khalifa Bin Dasmal, Founder, Silver Spoon Investments; ‘Franchising for Success – Take Your Business International’ with Fadi Malas, Board Member, Just Falafel; an ‘Innovation Case Study’ with Talzoon Khowakiwala, Founder & CEO, Switz Group; a keynote presentation by Rayan Qutub, CEO – Industrial Valley, King Abdullah Economic City; and a ‘Strategic View on the GCC Food & Beverage Industry’ with Chaitanya GRK, Consultant, Frost & Sullivan.
The Summit’s second day will feature a further seven sessions from 11am to 3.30pm linked to the theme of ‘Operation and Best Practises in Food Manufacturing’, including a keynote government speech by Fahad Al Gergawi, CEO, Dubai Investment Development Agency (FDI) – the foreign investment and promotion agency of the Department of Economic Development (DED).
Following a keynote presentation on ‘Powering Innovation in Food Processing and Packaging’ by Dennis Jönsson, President and CEO, Tetra Pak , a four-strong panel will debate ‘Best Practices in Food Manufacturing and Packaging’. The panel will comprise Jönsson; Dharnesh Gordhon, Managing Director and CEO, Nestle Nigeria; Monther Al Harthi, CEO, Al Rabie; and Johann Vorster, CEO, Clover.
Other day sessions include ‘Free Zones as the Driving Force in the Middle East’s Manufacturing Future’ with Adil Al Zarooni, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, Economic Zones World, Jafza; a case study on ‘Innovation as an Enabler of Successful Halal Product Development ‘ presented by Jalel Aossey, CEO, Midamar Corporation; a second case study on ‘Developing Food Factories: Food Processing Engineering and Planning Best Practises’ presented by Werner Muller, Head of Business Development, UFT Germany; before a closing round-table discussion focusing on pioneering regional manufacturers.
As the Middle East’s largest-ever trade show debut, Gulfood Manufacturing will feature more 1,100 global food manufacturers, suppliers and service providers, including a world-class line-up of international brands including IFFCO, Cargill Europe BVBA, Markel Bakery Group, Multivac, TNA Packing Solutions, Ishida Europe Ltd., Döhler Middle East and CSM Deutschland GmbH. The industry heavyweights will participate in themed sectors in more than 24 national pavilions including Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Switzerland, Taiwan, China, Thailand, India, Italy, Austria, France, the USA, the UK and Germany – also the show’s Official Country Partner.
Gulfood Manufacturing is open between 10am-6pm from 9-10 November and 10am-5pm on 11 November 2014 at DWTC . Visitor attendance is free of charge. For more information, please visit www.gulfoodmanufacturing.com