JEDDAH, 25 May 2008 — Food, Hotel and Propac Arabia — Saudi Arabia’s 13th International Showcase for the Industry ended at the Jeddah International Exhibition & Convention Center — on Thursday night, with exhibitors claiming it a big success in terms of participation, business transactions and attendance. The five-day event was held with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture. Its other supporters included the Organization of the Islamic Conference’s Islamic Center for Development of Trade, which signed a cooperation deal with Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions Ltd, the organizer of the event.
China, Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey had their country pavilions alongside individual participants from countries including Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Lebanon, Netherlands, and many exhibitors from Saudi Arabia.
Among the attractions was the TopChef feature that took place in the custom-built auditorium. This was the 5th edition and showcased culinary skills within a TV cooking show format. Chefs from various hotels and restaurants who took part daily were awarded certificates. This was complemented by the ‘ART DE TABLE’ contest showing the latest in table setting design. Radisson Jeddah Hotel won the best display prize.
Most of the exhibitors — more than 250 from over 26 countries — interviewed said that their purpose of participation had been served. They succeeded in finding new agents or distributors and some of them even received orders worth several million riyals. Malaysia organized the participation of 11 of its companies through its national trade promotion agency MATRADE. “It has been the 6th consecutive time for MATRADE to organize Malaysia’s participation in the exhibition, considering huge potential in the Saudi food and beverage market,” Naim Abdul Rahman, Malaysian Trade Commissioner, MATRADE Jeddah, told Arab News. Products promoted by Malaysian companies included palm oil & palm oil-based products, and a wide range of food items, health supplement products, herbal tea, curry powder and sauces.
M. Fahad Choudhary, trade development officer at the Consulate General of Pakistan, said that all 16 Pakistani participants were satisfied with the number of inquiries they received from the local business community. “All of our participants received an overwhelming number of inquiries. Most of them said they had received orders and some more were in the pipeline.
Eight Iranian food companies that participated in the exhibition were upbeat about the response they had from the visitors. “The response was tremendous and inquiries innumerable,” said Mohamed Mahdi Ahmadian, managing director of Padideh Tejarat Zanjan Co.
Andrzej Gruszczynski of Poland’s Grupan AG Consulting, said 12 business executives representing 10 Polish companies participated in the exhibition for the first time through the Polish Commercial Chamber of Commerce. The visiting delegation also had a meeting with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Turkish pavilion comprised two groups, one of them with 10 companies. Eight others had come as individual participant. Cenk Akandan of ADJ said that there were many inquiries and even orders for Turkey’s kitchen equipment, and food items including sweets. “Fifty percent of the exhibitors were looking for local agents and distributors and some of them had intense business meetings,” he said.
David M. Bryant, director of marketing and international trade at Georgia department of agriculture, Atlanta, Georgia, said his organization represented 14 companies from southern United States — from Georgia to Florida and North and South Carolina to Virginia. “Demand for our spring water and fruitcake, among others, is good and we were flooded with inquiries,” he said.
Most of the other exhibitors were optimistic about doing business with their Saudi partners. They included companies from China, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands and Tunisia
“The five-day annual event was marked by more than 12,000 registered trade and professional visitors,” Zahoor Siddique, exhibitions director at Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions Ltd., said, adding that the next edition of the exhibition will be held from May 24-28, 2009.