yummex Middle East (ME) has once again impressively demonstrated its top position as an international trade fair for sweets and snacks in the MENA region. The event took place for the first time under the new trade fair umbrella of the “Dubai International Hospitality Week”, with five other co-located trade shows: GulfHost, The Speciality Food Festival and SEAFEX Middle East, organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), as well as The Hotel Show and The Leisure Show, organised by dmg events. Exhibitors and trade visitors thus profited from expanded access to the growing hospitality and foodservice market in the MENA region and were able to open up attractive new business potential.
The consistently positive market situation in the region and the partner trade fair concept also promoted opportunities for successful business contacts and initiation of transactions in the hotel industry and food service sectors, as well as in the retail business. For the 11th edition, yummex ME demonstrated its importance as a central, firmly established business platform for sweets and snacks, and convinced with a high degree of internationality: 333 exhibitors from 43 countries presented their new products and trends to 8,507 trade visitors from 111 countries. Represented for the first time were exhibitors from Argentina, Romania and Switzerland.
The largest national participation came from Turkey, Germany and Malaysia. Companies jointly presented their sweets and snacks offerings for the region in 18 regional and international pavilions. “yummex ME 2017 was a complete success. Exhibitors and trade visitors profited from extensive access to the retail and hospitality sectors were able to utilise a variety of synergies and establish profitable business contacts. This further increased the attractiveness of yummex ME as a leading business platform for all those involved”, emphasises Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelmesse GmbH. yummex ME is organised by Koelnmesse and the Dubai World Trade Centre.
In the context of the “Innovation Corner” special event, two themes were focused on during this year’s event: the yummex ME trend partner Innova Markets Insights presented “Sweet Trends” – global industry trends – and underlined their importance for the MENA region. The yummex Innovation Awards also presented prize-winning, innovative new products.
The renowned market research company presented the top ten global trends of 2017 for the snacks and sweets world, as well as their transfer to the diversified and high- contrast market in the MENA region. Consumer trends like growing health consciousness and the focus on indulgence were presented on the basis of numerous new products in the sweets and snacks market. All of this offered exhibitors and trade visitors an ideal overview and numerous approaches for participating in the success of the booming sweets and snacks market in the MENA region. According to studies of Euromonitor International, the growth rate in the segment of sweets and snacks in the MENA region is twice as strong as the global average. Growing regional markets, increasing incomes and strong consumer behaviour present the manufacturers of sweets and snacks with ideal conditions for successful access to the market and for exploiting profitable potential. “It’s fantastic, on day one we have almost achieved our objectives.
We met companies from various countries in the MENA-region and signed off distributors for three markets. We go to a lot of trade shows around the world. yummex is certainly one of the best trade fairs we have been to. The show is very professional and there is a lot of engagement. We will for sure rejoin next year“, says Eoghan Webb, Head of Export from Fulfil Nutrition. The trend overview, with its future-oriented presentation of innovations in the sweets, snacks, aromas and additives segments, was therefore an important starting point for many exhibitors and trade visitors.
The “Innovations Awards” for especially innovative, newly-launched sweets and snacks products were awarded for the fourth time in four categories. The increase in the number of participants and of submitted products in comparison to the previous year demonstrates the growing interest in innovations, the awards and the benefit of the attractive additional presentation possibilities that come with the award. It underlines the venerable position of yummex ME as an industry meeting point and provider of impulses for trends and innovations in the MENA region. An independent jury of experts evaluated the many submissions for the competition from regional and international companies. The prizewinners were exhibited at yummex ME in the “Innovation Corner” and will also be presented in Cologne from 28-31 January 2018 at the ISM, the world’s leading trade fair for sweets and snacks.
First class, handmade ice cream and confections from an international field of competitors were distinguished inside the Gelato and Pastry Lab. The recreated ice cream parlour and the confectionery shop attracted many spectators. Participants in the competition presented the high art of their profession in live demonstrations. The winner of the GELATO CHEF`S Cup, which took place as part of the Young Chef`s Hotel Challenge, is Mary Rose Perez.
The next yummex Middle East takes place from 16 to 18 September 2018 in Dubai in the context of the Dubai International Hospitality Week.
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