Critical year for F&B Industry with major dialogues around food security, sustainability and
investments shaping industry trends in the lead-up to COP 28.
28th edition of the industry leading event set to be 30% larger than ever before, and bring
sustainability to the fore with launch of global sustainability initiative Gulfood Green.
DUBAI – January 18, 2023: Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has announced the largest annual
global food and beverage sourcing event in the world, Gulfood, will take place from 20-24 February
- Bringing together F&B communities from across the world in Dubai to chart the way forward
for this rapidly evolving sector, the 28th edition of the show is set to be 30% larger than the previous
years, with 1,500 of the 5000+ confirmed exhibitors new to the show. Gulfood 2023’s record scale is
due in part to the introduction of Gulfood Plus, a brand-new bespoke hall, where first-time exhibitors
will showcase product innovations across 10,000 m2 of added floorspace.
Leading global brands exhibiting include: Unilever, GMG, Americana, Agthia, Fonterra, McCain,
Monin, USAPEEC, Hunter Foods, ASMAK, Minerva Foods, U.S. Dairy Export Council, Frinsa Group,
Emirates Snacks Foods and Al Rabie to name a few; as well as newcomers including Brazilian food
processing company: BRF Global and Agricultural, and Processed Food Products Export Development
Authority (APEDA).
Globally, a series of world events are causing inflation and a rise in the cost of consumer goods, food,
utilities, and fuel. The food industry has a huge role to play in helping reverse these trends and
moving towards healthier, more resilient food systems. With the UAE preparing to host COP 28 in
2023, Gulfood will serve as a critical opportunity to convene the global F&B industry at the start of
the year, and continue the shift towards more sustainable food production and consumption.
“With the ongoing food crisis, combined with climate shocks, and rising costs of food, 2023 will be
an important year for turning the corner and getting back on track while elevating healthy and
diversified diets that are sustainable for people and the planet. Gulfood and the UAE will be at the
heart of many of these conversations and have a unique vantage point from which to lead the way”
commented Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President, Dubai World Trade Centre.
THE SOURCE OF THE WORLD
With the UAE acting as the central hub of all these changes, Gulfood will be at the heart of the
business community, the source of propelling sector conversations from agenda to action, bringing
the industry together to convene in the first key F&B industry event of the year, unveiling new
products and innovations, and creating an international platform for business opportunities
including 125 country pavilions with first time participants: Armenia, Cambodia and Iraq, and
welcoming back returning pavilions from South Africa and Australia.
SUSTAINABILITY AT THE FORE
Launching in 2023 Gulfood presents: Gulfood Green – a new global sustainability initiative, to ignite
and continue conversations within the wider F&B community to create a momentous shift towards
more resilient and sustainable food production and consumption. The objective being to raise
visibility and influence key strategic food industry champions for sustainable food systems
transformation in the lead up to COP28 and set a precedent for the future.
As part of the initiative Gulfood has also launched its own Gulfood Global Forest, an international
tree-planting campaign and nature-based solution to the events’ sustainability commitments, to
conserve, restore and grow trees across the globe to help curb climate change. The food industry is
known to be a major carbon emitter and the Gulfood Forest will enable stakeholders of the event
from exhibitors and visitors, to speakers, chefs and the wider public to get involved and plant trees
to help restore global forests. Gulfood Green has already started planting in four countries: UAE,
Uganda, Ecuador and Indonesia, with fruit bearing trees planted in a number of the locations to
enable families and local communities to become self-sufficient. The trees already planted will
support 2000 families and sequester 1 million kg of CO2 over the trees’ lifetime. Gulfood Greens’
commitment is to quadruple the number of trees and country expansion by COP28.
The theme of sustainability will be carried through multiple verticals of the event, with topics being
discussed at the conference including: Working towards zero food waste and making the dairy
industry less carbon intensive, to building and securing viable, sustainable food business. Speakers
include: Paul Newnham – Executive Director of SDG2 Advocacy Hub; Carlos Frunze Garza, advocate
for sustainability and Executive Chef of Teible; Kylie Woodham – General Manager of Magners Farm;
and Kamesh Ellajosyula – President and Chief Innovation & Quality Officer of Olam Food Ingredients.
Gulfood will also put the spotlight, for the very first time, on global chefs spearheading biodiversity
in the restaurant industry, with masterclasses and workshops by top chefs creating real change,
through sustainability and zero waste initiatives including: Rasmus Munk of Alchemist in Copenhagen
and Peeter Pihel, sustainable restaurant advocate and Head Chef of Fotografiska.
The Gulfood Green Awards will also take place this year, with submissions open to the industry, in
five categories: Green Foodservice Industry Award, Waste Management Award; Green Food Innovation
Award; Sustainability Professional of the Year and Sustainability Company of the Year. The Gulfood
Green Awards Celebrate excellence in sustainability and encourage green best practice across the
Food & Beverage Industry.
IMPACTFUL CONVERSATIONS TO SPUR CHANGE
The Gulfood Inspire Conference will champion core themes of: Sustainability, Quality and Access.
Ministers, global F&B value chain leaders, entrepreneurs, civil society and industry experts will lead
a series of keynotes, panel discussions and showcases, addressing timely topics including: Sustainable
Food Production; Food Security and Sovereignty; Agri-Food and Food Tech Investment; Innovations
and Web 3 Opportunities; Nutrition Education and Access; Waste Reduction; Securing International
Supply Chains; and Food Services Trends, Challenges and Innovations. Confirmed first time speakers
include: Yazen Al Kodmani – Head of Operations of Emirates Bio Farm; Alessio D’Antino – Co-founder
& CEO of Forward Fooding; Neha Sood – UAE Market Lead for Zomato; Rajiv Warrier – CEO GCC of
Choithrams and Ruben Brunsveld, Deputy Director – EMEA, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.
Gulfood has partnered with global award-winning market intelligence agency, Mintel, to curate a
thought leadership programme for the F&B industry. As the events’ Strategic Knowledge Partner, the
agency has undertaken exploratory interviews with leaders across the food & drink industry, covering
topics including sustainability and inflation. Experts and leaders from around the globe, have shared
challenges and priorities as food & drink professionals with the aim of collectively looking to
understand the key challenges the food & drink industry faces and the solutions businesses are
adopting to overcome them.
The results from the research will be shared in a whitepaper in the weeks leading up to Gulfood 2023
and to be more widely used across the industry to provide guidance and inspiration to businesses at
this critical time.
‘DUBAI WORLD CUISINE’ MOVEMENT
Gulfood Plus will be the home of Top Table this year, where the world’s best curators of award-
winning dining experiences will showcase their signature dishes. Gulfood 2023 will launch the
‘Dubai World Cuisine’ Movement, which aims to provide a platform for homegrown chefs to
collaboratively shape the cultural identity of Dubai and establish it on the world’s culinary map.
For 2023, Singapore has been selected, for the nations vibrant and diverse culinary scene from
Michelin-starred restaurants to UNESCO-recognised street food. The programme will see 6 iconic
chefs from Singapore hosted in 6 restaurants in Dubai in February with masterclasses and fringe
dinners outside of the event, across the city. 2 months later in May, the Dubai chefs will then be
hosted in Singapore for 6 dinners under the umbrella of Dubai World Cuisine by Gulfood.
A star-studded lineup of internationally renowned Michelin star chefs participating in the
programme include: Melbourne born Michael Wilson of Marguerite in Singapore, Winner of the
Michelin Guide Young Chef of the Year, Louis Han of Nae:um; and hailing from Liguria, Italy,
Daniele Sperindio of Art in Singapore. Michelin star homegrown talent includes: Gregoire Berger of
Ossiano, Salam Dakkak of Bait Maryam and Saverio Sbaragli of Al Muntaha – all participating in
Gulfood for the very first time. Alongside Top Table, Chef Talks will offer insights and inspiration
from global chefs, food editors and influencers in the culinary world.
THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW
As the first-of-its-kind launch-pad for empowering promising F&B talent with a career changing
experience, the Gulfood YouthX Challenge grand finale winners, competing at Gulfood 2023, will be
rewarded for their contribution to the region’s influence on the global gastronomic scene with a
career changing internship at an international 3-Michelin star restaurant.
In another event first, YouthX Academy Acceleration has been created to provide a pathway for
culinary students to fast-track their career in the world of professional gastronomy, the YouthX
Academy Challenge will see teams of talented young chefs from top international culinary schools
compete with each other for the chance to secure a full-time position at one of the most coveted
restaurants in the region.
FOODVERSE
Also taking place at the new Gulfood Plus – the Food Metaverse on the blockchain will give visitors
the chance to discover the incredible opportunities that the food ecosystem is presented with through
Web 3.0, and learn about emerging technology trends that will pave the way for future innovations
in the F&B industry.
GULFOOD INNOVATION AWARDS
The Gulfood Innovation Awards are bestowed to the industry’s revolutionary pioneers, honouring
excellence in new product development and championing ground-breaking new products, launched
within the past calendar year. Thousands of entries have already been submitted in 10 categories
including: best beverage product, best organic product, best frozen product, best packaging design
and best plant-based product.
ENABLING GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
Gulfood will create a platform for companies in the food industry to present their products, services,
and solutions to influential buyers from across the globe, facilitating intercontinental business deals
and serving as the ultimate focal point for the world of food and beverage sourcing. Over 10,000
meetings have already been scheduled and confirmed via the show’s meetings programme.
*Tickets for Gulfood are currently on sale at a special rate of AED 295 for a 5-day pass (instead of
regular full price of AED 495) for a limited period only. Tickets can be purchased at www.gulfood.com
