In 2018, SIAL Middle East is gearing towards to welcome 1,000+ exhibitors, 20,000+ visitors and up to 500 fully hosted VIP buyers. The event is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority and is organised in strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA).
The event this year will feature innovative food, beverage and hospitality products from categories including (but not limited to) grocery products, dried products, confectionery, biscuits and pastry, non-alcoholic beverages, fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, dairy products, eggs, delicatessen, ready meals, meat and tripe, fish, molluscs and shellfish and cured and salted meat. More than 65 percent of the exhibitors at the event this year will be new to the region, which opens up opportunities for buyers and trade visitors representing dealers/distributors, HORECA/foodservice, retail and airline catering sectors
In addition to engaging with the industry throughout the year using different mediums, SIAL Middle East has number of activities and events over three days that give additional reasons for visitors to come. These activities and events make SIAL Middle East stand out from other trade events in the region.
As the host of region’s largest culinary competition La Cuisine, SIAL Middle East welcomes 1,000+ chefs to the event every year. Senior regional and international chefs take guided tours daily to meet with exhibitors at their stands as part of the Roaming Chefs initiative, ensuring the exhibitors with foodservice offering see just the right influencers for adoption of their products in kitchens around the region.
In memory of the founding father of the Emirates Culinary Guild, The Alen Thong Golden Coffee Pot Young Chefs Challenge will return for a second edition since its launch in 2016. The competition will feature 10 international young chef teams including Singapore, Maldives, India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, South Africa, Panama, China, UAE and Estonia who will showcase their skills.
Matchmaking is one of the key activities which is keenly followed and much appreciated by the exhibitors. Exhibitors are able to meet pre-selected fully hosted VIP buyers in dedicated speed networking sessions based on a product category. Each introduction lasts for three minutes for exhibitors and hosted buyers to exchange business cards, introduce the product and share stand number to schedule a detailed meeting.
Another feature unique to SIAL Network shows around the world is SIAL Innovation. While visitors are spoilt for choice across the exhibition with 1000’s of products, SIAL Innovation offers a unique perspective by showcasing the best of F&B innovation during the year. It is also an opportunity for visitors to see winning products from SIAL Network events in Paris, Montreal, Shanghai, New Delhi and Jakarta as part of SIAL Innovation World Champions.
Exclusive to SIAL Middle East is its travel catering sector offering across all SIAL Network events. Running for 36 years, The Mercurys is the most prestigious award in travel catering, worldwide and ensures region’s largest gathering of airline catering professionals. As one of the key food and beverage buyers, more than 40 regional and international airlines and airline catering companies attend SIAL Middle East every year.
Last but not least, recognising the challenges of food security in the region, the Food Security Center Abu Dhabi (FSCAD) will once again bring together top government officials, CEOs and industry experts to discuss ways of ensuring the availability of affordable, sustainable and nutritious food. Panelists will address crucial topics related to food security and discuss regional governments’ approaches towards the improvement of market-led agribusiness and investment decisions.
SIAL Middle East is part of SIAL Network, the world’s largest network of professional B2B food exhibitions. With an international presence, more than 50 years’ experience, and combining its global knowledge with the local approach of its market, the SIAL Network has become a world benchmark for food industry players. It hosts thousands of companies from over 109 countries and attracts a live community of more than 365,800 buyers including 100 percent of the retail industry. For more information on the event or to register to attend the 2018 edition of SIAL Middle East, please visit: www.sialme.com.
